Foundation
by GoodGodHenry
Summary: Shaken to his core when Haley asks for a divorce, Hotch needs to rebuild his life. Eventual Hotch/Prentiss.
1. Chapter 1

**Description:** Shaken to his core when Haley asks for a divorce, Hotch needs to rebuild his life. Eventual Hotch/Prentiss.

 **A/N:** This is going to be a long story with eventual Hotch / Prentiss pairing. Eventual, as in it will take time. Jack will be younger (about 10 months old) when Hotch and Haley are divorce.

Our tale starts with Season 3, Episode 2: In Name and Blood.

 **Chapter 1**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

SSAIC Aaron Hotchner was sitting at a red light, hitting his steering wheel in anger. Unable to fathom this day, this crappy day. He reviewed the facts that led to his mini meltdown at a stoplight.

\- Jason Gideon was missing in action

\- Spencer Reid was walking a tightrope after his ordeal

\- Emily Prentiss had resigned

\- He was suspended by Strauss, him, Aaron Hotchner, rule follower extraordinaire

\- He was expected to transfer to White Collar

\- He had just pissed off Haley. Badly!

\- His team needed him

\- Three team members gone in a day

\- Horrid case of women with their hearts carved out of their bodies, a killer that was escalating

\- Strauss, Queen of paper pushing, was out in the field, leading his team (leading them where he didn't know)

A car beeped from behind him, a short little beep. A little 'Hey buddy, the light changed, can you go, please?' honk. He stepped on the gas pedal and drove another block before pulling to the side of the road. Leaning his head back on the headrest, he sucked in a huge breath and held it. Slowly exhaling, he pulled his thoughts together: case, team, wife.

"Damn it, when did Haley start to come in last in my priorities?" he asked out loud.

Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed home.

"Aaron," she answered in a clipped tone.

He was at a loss for words, what could he possibly say to fix this, "Haley, I'm sorry."

"I know you are sorry but you aren't going to change. After this case ends, you aren't going to transfer to desk job. You aren't going to work a 9 to 5 job. You aren't going to be here for me or Jack."

Sighing, he wanted to assure her, convince her but the words died in his throat. "You're right. I need to do this job. It's become who I am. Haley, I love."

Haley interrupted, her voice has lost the hysterical edge from earlier, "I have never doubted that you love me. That you love Jack." Her voice shook but she continued, "I love you, Aaron. Truly, but I need more. I need to be more than an afterthought. I deserve better."

"You do deserve.."

She interrupted again, "Aaron, I don't know if it's enough anymore. I need to think. Let's not do this over the phone."

He huffed, unable to control his emotions. He wanted this done, decided, remedied.

"Call me when you get to the hotel tonight, okay?"

"I'll call you tonight." He promised as she hung up.

Staring down at his phone, he watched her picture fade away as the phone went into sleep mode. It was almost as if his phone was mocking the state of his marriage.

Sighing again, he put the car in drive again and pulled into traffic.

Next on the agenda, getting Prentiss back on the team.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Episode referenced: Season 3, Episode 2: In Name and Blood


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Edited 17 June 2015 to add comma...

 **Chapter 2**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Prentiss was pretty new to the team. He had never been to her home before. It was a large historic brownstone split into two homes. He climbed the steep concrete steps and rang the bell, hearing it echo through the home.

The sounds of a child yelling and small feet running on wooden floors surprised him as did the softly uttered curse word that filtered through the heavy door.

When the door finally opened, he was shocked. Emily Prentiss, Supervisory Special Agent with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, was standing before him in jeans and Kermit the Frog t-shirt with a toddler on her hip. A toddler with black curls, pale alabaster skin, and bright blue eyes. If it wasn't for the eyes, he would be a miniature version of Prentiss.

"Sir, I wasn't expecting you."

Speechless, he took in the appearance of the small child and tried to recall if she had ever mentioned a nephew or a cousin.

The boy reached out his arm, holding his hand out for Hotch. "Hello Sir, my name is Liam Prentiss. Nice to meet you." His little voice spoke each word clearly and confidently.

Hotch shook the tiny hand that was offered to him, "Hello Liam. My name is Aaron Hotchner."

She stepped backwards and waved her hand towards the interior of the house, "Come in, Hotch."

He followed her through the entryway and into a comfortable sitting room. Liam wiggled and she released her hold on him. The toddler slid down her leg and took off running the moment his feet hit the floor.

Indicating to the couch, Prentiss sat down across from her supervisor, her bottom lip firmly between her teeth.

"It never came up." She stated quietly.

A harsh laugh escaped from him, and looked to see where Liam had gone but the boy was no longer in the room. "This is a surprise."

"Sir," she faltered for a moment, "I am a private person so I wasn't comfortable sharing with the team that I had a small child at home."

"How, I mean, it wasn't in your employee file. In fact, your employee file had quite a few inconsistencies and I never really learned how you were transferred to the BAU. I have a feeling that is part of this resignation, am I wrong?"

Prentiss stood up and began to pace around the room, "Hotch, I swear I had no idea about how I was placed in the BAU. For the last three years, I applied to the unit each time there was an opening. Liam and I moved here from Chicago when the transfer came through. I did not pull any strings or ask for special favors."

Hotch remained in his seat and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, as he spoke, "And now you are willing to resign your position without notice."

"Yes. I realize that the situation is unusual." She slipped a neutral expression over her face. "Hotch, why are you really here?"

Liam raced back into the room, his arms filled with plastic dinosaur toys. He lined them up on the coffee table and looked at their guest expectantly.

"Wow! You have a lot of dinosaurs." Hotch told the boy.

The boy held up each one and announcing their names, "Stegosaurus, Diplodocus, Allosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Apatosaurus"

Hotch raised his eyebrow at Prentiss, noting how she tried to hide her proud smile.

Liam began to play with the dinosaurs, making them fall off the table and crash into the ground, shouting out their terrible fates.

Prentiss returned to the couch, "He's absorbed into his game. You can speak freely."

"Why did you resign?"

No longer able to meet his eyes, she shrugged her shoulders.

Hotch wanted to stand, to pace, to intimidate, to demand answers. Truthful answers! The presence of the little boy made him hesitate. "I think Strauss asked you for dirt on me. To your credit, you didn't whisper in her ear."

She released a breath she didn't even know she was holding and sank back into the couch. "I told you, I hate politics!"

"I was going to ask if you had your ready bag packed; Gideon is a no show and with both us being gone, the team is down by three agents." Hotch titled his head in the direction of Liam. "If I could have Strauss back off, would you be willing to come back? Your resignation is hung up in the system as is my suspension."

She nodded, "My go bag is ready and my next door neighbor watches Liam all the time. I'll give her a call."

Both agents reached for their phones; Hotch called Garcia to arrange a commercial flight for them and cleared his throat at the sound of her high pitched squeals. Clearly, Garcia was convinced their involvement in this case would lead them back permanently.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Episode referenced: Season 3, Episode 2: In Name and Blood

A/N: Liam speaks clearly and very well for a two and a half year old. I based this off my own experience with my kids. My son spoke early (full paragraphs when others in his age group were speaking their first words). His younger sister didn't bother speaking as she relied on him to do all the talking ~ lol.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Edited on 7/29/2015 to ensure Emily changes outfits before she heads off for the case in her Kermit the Frog shirt.

 **Chapter 3**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Prentiss crouched down to Liam's level and spoke with him for a moment before he turned and tackle hugged her. She rocked backwards before giving up and falling on her bottom, craddling with him. Hotch watched as she cuddled and rocked him. They sat up together and she brushed her hand through his baby fine curls.

Hotch turned at the sound of the front door opening and thundering footsteps that followed. A blond boy, looking about five or six, burst into the room. Liam jumped from his mother's lap and ran to the older boy, shouting, "Declan!"

A brunette woman in her forties entered the sitting room taking in the scene before her. Hotch reached down and offered Prentiss a hand off the ground as the boys snaked around them grabbing dinosaurs.

"Louise Thatcher, this is my boss, Agent Hotchner." The strangers shook hands as Prentiss continued, "This is my dear friend and neighbor, Louise. Her son, Declan, just ran through here."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," replied Louise while studying Hotch.

Prentiss stepped back towards the stairs, "I'll grab the go bags."

Louise spoke, her Irish accent leaking through, "You must have been pretty convincing; she was determined something fierce."

"The team needs her." He stated simply.

The boys returned, Declan carrying a large shopping bag full of toys and backpack, Liam with a stuffed dinosaur. Emily, in a black suit, followed behind them with her own go bag.

Liam turned to his mother and stretched his arms up. She picked him up and cuddled him. "I love you and I will call you every night."

Prentiss passed the boy to Louise and they headed out the door to the front stoop and the two steps to the left to the next door; the second half of the brownstone. Hotch thought, "she really meant next door neighbor."

She hugged Declan as Louise unlocked the door to her house, "Bye Declan. I hope you boys have fun."

Waving goodbye, Liam blew kisses to his mother as the door closed.

Prentiss checked her pockets, muttering under her breath, "Keys, phone," before turning to her supervisor. "Hotch, I turned in my hardware and shield."

"You can travel as a civilian. Once we are out in the field, I will give you my backup piece."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Once they were in the car, Hotch handed her the case file. They didn't talk during the ride to the airport or through security or while waiting to board. He watched her read through the reports and review the crime scene photos. She was completely focused on the case. Why did she not tell her team about her son? Why keep such a silly secret?

Garcia had managed to get them first class seats in a sparsely filled cabin. Hotch turned to her as the plane maintained altitude, "Prentiss, why didn't you tell us about Liam?"

She hesitated before answering, "Honestly, Hotch, the team wasn't exactly welcoming and friendly. I wasn't even sure if you were going to transfer me out the first few days yet alone months."

His eyes closed as he recalled her joining the team. Right after the drama with Elle. He knew Gideon's treatment of Emily downright dismissive. With Reid on the edge, he took out his aggressions on her. And he, her unit chief and supervisor, had treated her like an interloper.

Hotch met her dark eyes; she wasn't upset. He wondered if she had slipped her mask back on or if she was truly calm. "I apologize. You are right, we treated you terribly and I will not make excuses. We should not..."

Prentiss held up her hand, stopping him, "Thank you for apologizing. Things are fine now. We have a good team dynamic. I consider JJ, Morgan and Garcia friends and I think the rest of us are getting there. It's just odd to blurt out 'I have a son' six months later."

"Do you want to tell them?"

Grinning, she replied, "I do."

"Now, they were getting somewhere." Hotch thought.

The flight attendant stopped by, offering drinks. They both chose coffee and Prentiss asked for Splenda. Hotch berated himself for not knowing anything about this agent. He put his life and the lives of others in her hands and he didn't even know how she took her coffee.

"Is Liam's father in the picture?"

She closed her eyes at the first sip of coffee. They popped open at the question and locked with his. He knew she was wondering if he was judging her.

"No, he is not." Her tone brooked no further discussions on the topic of Liam's father.

"Liam is something else, Prentiss. Such manners! How did he learn so much about dinosaurs?"

Her lips quirked as she tried not to break out into a big smile, "He learned his impeccable manners from my mother. Once he showed an interest in dinosaurs, my Dad bought him toys and books."

"I wonder what Jack will be into. I remember my younger brother was obsessed with cars and trucks." Hotch leaned back in his seat, reclining it a little.

Prentiss mirrored his actions, carefully sipping at her coffee, "He's not quite a year?"

"Just turned 9 months. He is crawling like a mad man. We have baby gates everywhere."

They talked about their boys for the remainder of the flight. As the plane descended, the little comfortable bubble popped and both agents returned to their 'we are on a case' world.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Thanks for the Reviews. I do appreciate them more than I can express.

To Guest Reviewer ~ As far as question regarding Liam's father - this story is being told from Hotch's perspective so you won't learn anything until he learns it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Awful, both the case and Strauss. Morgan had filled him in on how Strauss was treating the local detective and how she had berated JJ. Then he had to comfort Strauss after the debacle at the crime scene. Prentiss took a blow to the head with a 2x4 and he had pulled a gun on a little boy. Could things get worse? Yeah, he didn't get a chance to call Haley so when he finally returned home, she was gone. Taken his son and moved out.

Unlike their previous fights in person and over the phone, this conversation was calm. They sat in the bright kitchen of the home they built together and began dismantling their lives together.

"Together," Hotch thought, "Together to build and together to destroy."

"Aaron, I talked everything through with Jess," She started.

He scrubbed his hands over his face. Great, now his sister in law had it out for him too.

"Not like that! Jess just asked me some probing questions and I realized that we have been going down different paths for a long time. You dedicated everything you had to college, then law school. You gave your all to the attorney general's office and it wasn't enough. You entered the FBI Academy, you became a sharpshooter, you are one of the youngest unit chiefs in the FBI. You are so driven, you can't even see that not everyone has to push themselves the same way."

Haley placed her hand over his clenched ones, as usual her hand was icy cold. He wrapped his large warm hands over hers. She blinked away tears.

"I was wrong when I said it's not who you are, it's what you do. This job is who you are. Your work consumes you. And you can't stop; it wouldn't be fair of me to ask that of you."

He listened as she talked, acknowledging to himself that she had an honest assessment of him. He didn't tell her why he was this way. She may have figured it out since she had known him since high school; known his mother and brother. It was pathetic that he was glad his father had passed away before Haley had the chance to meet him.

She pulled her hand free and reached out to caress his face, "You give everything to your job, then to Jack and when it's my turn, there is nothing left. I don't want to come in last place."

Hotch continued to sit at the kitchen table, holding her hand as she spoke. She was not yelling or accusing. She was stating the facts and he was able to figure out the conclusion.

"Haley, I know I have been unfair to you. To Jack. To our family." His voice trembled, "Would you be interested in counseling? I am, I mean, I want to be a better husband and father. Is it too late?"

Tears fell freely from his wife's eyes and he had his answer. He had neglected her for too long and now, now he had lost her for good.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: A short chapter but Chapter 5 should be up soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next few weeks were almost unbearable. His list of failures remained steady with Haley, Gideon, and Reid at the top. He moved through each day like a ghost of himself. He was living in a long term stay hotel so they could maintain Jack's routine at home. He went to meetings with Strauss, reviewed consults with JJ and worked the cases with the team.

He visited Jack when he was in town; no set schedule. Haley had become use to opening the door at ten o'clock at night so Hotch could reassure himself that Jack was safe and sound at home.

Prentiss knocked on his office door before stepping in and handing him with an envelope.

"Please tell me you aren't resigning again!" He groaned.

She openly laughed at him, "Sir!"

Hotch opened the envelope to finely a brightly printed invitation for 'Game Night at the Prentiss Household'.

She sat down in the chair across from his desk, "I thought we could use a little fun! It's been a rough few months."

"That it has."

Prentiss picked at her thumbnail and fidgeted in her chair, like a student in the principal's office, "Sir, do you think I should tell the team before the party or surprise them there?"

"Well, do you want your son to retain his hearing? If so, I would tell Garcia ahead of time." He replied drolly.

"Oh boy, I forgot about her tendency to shriek like a banshee." Prentiss stood up, "I hope you will be there."

He remained behind his desk as he watched Prentiss walk into the bullpen clutching the envelopes in her hands. He could tell she was debating gathering the team or telling them individually. She turned and looked up his office, catching his eye through the partially opened blinds.

Hotch pushed his chair back and walked around his desk. Raising an eyebrow with the unasked question, "Do you want my help?"

She nodded her head and he stepped out of his office onto the walkway. "BAU team, conference room please."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The team settled around the table, Morgan shoving Reid out of his seat and Garcia smacking him on the arm, "Be nice, Derek! We do not have assigned seats."

Hotch remained standing, "We've had quite a few changes lately and this team has been under a great deal of pressure. Prentiss thought it might be nice to take a little break."

She slid the envelopes across the table to her team mates, handing one to JJ who was sitting to her left.

Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, "My son and I would love it if you came by for a Game Night and had a little fun."

Garcia smiled and nodded, "Of course, Emily!"

"Son? Did you say son?" Reid asked.

"Yes," Prentiss nodded and looked to Hotch as he held up his hand, counting down from three to one with his fingers.

The sounds of screaming began as he reached one, his pointer finger dropping.

Reid and JJ clapped their hands over their ears, and Morgan reached over and covered Garcia's mouth with his large hand. "Explanation please, Princess."

"I am sorry I didn't tell you before, seems silly now. I have a two year old son, Liam, and I would love it if you came over to meet him."

JJ smiled and made a gimme motion with her hand, "Let me see a picture."

Garcia scratched and pulled at Morgan but he wouldn't release her. "Not calm enough, Baby Girl!"

Emily passed over her phone to JJ who tilted the screen so Reid could see. JJ oohed and ahhed as the young doctor looked confused.

Reid looked up, a question forming but before he could ask, he caught Hotch's eye and shut his mouth.

JJ passed the phone to Morgan. He allowed Garcia to peek and she emitted high pitched squeaks from behind his hand.

This was what the team needed; some levity, some fun. Hotch smiled at Prentiss, showcasing his dimples.

"Princess, you have some explaining to do." Morgan said as he released Garcia and dropped back into his chair.

Garcia snatched the phone from Morgan and pushed a button to display the photo on the large monitor on the wall. "OMG he's a mini Prentiss with blue eyes! Oh those baby blues and those sweet little curls. I wanna eat him all up."

Prentiss shifted uncomfortably in her seat as everyone's eyes landed on her, waiting for an explanation. "Let's see if I can answer all your questions. No, his father is not in the picture and I will not discuss topic further. Liam was born in Chicago, I was happy with transfer to BAU because it also meant I could be in my parents' home base," her voice lowered as she muttered, "Not that they are ever in town."

Hotch snickered at the thought of the prim and proper Ambassador Prentiss playing dinosaurs with her grandson. Prentiss caught his eye and smirked, she could guess what he was thinking.

JJ opened the envelope and read the card, "Thank you for the invite, Em. I'm positive that everyone here is RSVPing yes."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Morgan added.

Reid smiled, "Emily, would you like me to bring anything?"

The team laughed and chatted for a few more minutes before getting back to their desks. As Hotch dove back into his paperwork, he felt the tension in his shoulders ease a bit. Perhaps things weren't so bad.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Edited for spelling on 28 July 2015

 **Chapter 6**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

This week, there was no need to travel so Hotch stopped by the house to play with Jack in the early evenings. Haley would run errands or visit with her sister to give him time with his son. Their conversations were stilted, uncomfortable.

On Saturday, he had Jack for the day. Hotch picked him up and returned to his hotel. The baby demanded to be put down so he could explore the new space.

"Buddy, I think Dad needs to find us a real apartment. One that is baby proofed." Hotch said as he pulled Jack out of the bathroom cabinet.

Feeding Jack lunch was an ordeal without a high chair. Hotch sat the little boy on his lap as they ate; most of the meal landing on both their clothing. Nap time was just as bad, if not worse than lunch. Jack loved the big boy bed that Daddy had. He threw the pillows to the floor and tried to follow them down head first; giggling as Hotch grabbed him.

Finally, Hotch laid down on the bed, holding Jack to his chest firmly and hummed. Eventually, the boy fell asleep; his tiny chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Hotch made a mental shopping list:

\- High chair

\- Child sized plates and cups

\- Crib

\- Baby gates

\- Toys

\- Clothes

"This is going to be expensive." He muttered to himself.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch dropped off Jack in the late afternoon, thanking Haley for being so accomodating. She invited him for a cup of coffee. They sat in the family room with Jack snuggling Haley.

"I'm going to start looking for an apartment." He informed her.

Haley nodded, her smile forced, "It's probably a good idea. Um, Aaron, I am meeting with my attorney on Monday to file for divorce."

Jack wiggled free from her arms and down to the ground, crawling over to his toys. He pulled toy after toy from the shelf until he was surrounded.

Hotch kept his eyes on Jack, sighing quietly before meeting Haley's gaze. "I will alert my attorney to expect the filing."

He placed his cup on the coffee table gently despite wanting to smash it down. He stood, "I have to run."

"Okay. We'll talk soon." She turned and called out their son, "Jack, say Bye Bye to Daddy."

Jack crawled over as Hotch stepped forward and scooped up the boy. He kissed him, "Bye Jack. I love you."

Back in his car, he hit the steering wheel several times before inhaling through his nose slowly. He exhaled in a harsh burst of air and tried to slow his breathing again. Turning the ignition, he slowly backed out of his driveway and drove to back to the hotel.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Luckily, party started early so Hotch didn't have time to wallow. He showered and dressed casually in jeans and polo shirt. He stopped at the liquor store and picked up a bottle of red before he drove to Prentiss' house.

Despite arriving two minutes early, he wondered if he was the last to arrive based on his team's cars parked along the street. Perhaps Reid was still on his way, the metro didn't always run on time.

Louise opened the door for Hotch and welcomed him into the noisy house. He could hear Garcia from the front entry as she baby talked Liam. He followed Louise into the house, noting he was indeed the last to arrive. Reid was sitting on the floor, his back leaning on the couch as he talked with Declan. Morgan and JJ were standing near the kitchen, chatting with Prentiss. Garcia was sitting on the coffee table with her arms wrapped around squirming Liam.

"Hey Hotch!" Morgan called.

He made the rounds, hugging the women, shaking hands with the men before making it to Prentiss to hand her the wine.

"Glad you could make it," she said as she handed him a beer, "Thank you for the wine."

Hotch returned to the living room and sat down. He could hear the conversations between each of the sub groups gathered. Declan and Reid were discussing which animals could run the fastest, lions or tigers. Liam had escaped from Garcia and climbed on top of a very shocked Reid, settling into this lap.

"I wanna ride a tiger when it runs super fast." The two year old announced.

Declan thought about this for a moment, "You could fall off. You need a seat belt. With a lion, you could hold on to it's mane."

Garcia now had Louise captive, requesting everything there is to know about Ireland. Hotch overheard snippets of the conversation, "emigrated ten years ago."

Morgan, JJ and Prentiss were talking about the brownstone, restoring the original woodwork and updates throughout the house.

"I had to remove about five layers of wallpaper. It took forever but it was a great stress reliever when I came home from a bad case."

Liam ran over to his mother, "Mama," and hugged her before returning to Declan and Reid.

Hotch tipped his beer back and took a long sip. This is exactly what he needed to distance himself from his dark thoughts.

In a synchronized move, Reid, Declan and Liam all turned to face him. Puzzled, Hotch raised his eyebrows. Then the boys turned to Reid and waited.

"Hotch, if you could ride an animal, what animal would you choose?"

Unable to hide his smile, Hotch replied, "Elephant!"

Declan smiled, "Me too! Dr. Reid picked polar bear."

Clapping his hands, Liam yelled, "Apatosaurus! And when I am done riding him, I can slide down his neck."

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The party was a hit. Louise and Prentiss kept bringing out platter after platter of food. The games kept everyone laughing. JJ has been assigned to save Reid from the boys; promising them cookies if they released the genius from Liam's room.

Garcia set up Candyland on the coffee table for kids but it ended up a four person game with the addition of Morgan.

Hotch smiled as he dealt another hand of cards; he had officially become the dealer since Reid and Prentiss kept stacking the deck. They played several hands before JJ lost all of her gummy bears and declared the game "patently unfair" as she stomped away.

He surveilled the room every so often, watching his team having a good time. He froze as he came to a realization, stopping mid-deal. Reid glanced up from his cards and Prentiss cut her eyes to Hotch. He was grim faced.

Reid excused himself, dropping his cards on the table, and headed to the kitchen.

"Hotch?" Prentiss called but he didn't hear her. She reached out and placed her hand on his forearm, "Sir?"

"We are all single."

"Oh, Hotch, I'm sorry." Prentiss said as she gave his arm a soft squeeze.

He blinked a few times and tipped his head towards the empty seats, "Looks like poker is a bust!"

"Especially since Declan stole most of my M&Ms." She replied lightly, "Connect 4?"

Liam wandered over and climbed into his mother's lap. "Can I put them in?"

Hotch opened the box and helped set up the game as Liam sorted the tokens into red and black piles.

"Mr. Hotch, can Mama and I be red?"

They played several rounds, Hotch hid his smile as Liam often won and didn't realize it. Prentiss would help him count the tokens in a row; cuddling the boy.

Hotch felt his stomach turn; he should be home with his wife with his son in his lap. He stood up, "I think I'm done for. Next time?"

"Of course, Hotch! Liam, Mr. Hotchner has to go home now. Let's walk him to the door."

Liam jumped from her lap and grabbed Hotch's hand, dragging him towards the door. Hotch said "Good Night!" and waved over his shoulder as the little boy pulled him away. His team laughed at their boss being manhandled by a small child.

When they reached the door, Liam let go and held out his hand for a handshake, "Bye, Mr. Hotch. Thank you for visitin'."

They shook hands. Liam turned and yelled to Prentiss, who happened to be standing directly beside him, "Mama, did I do good? I shook hands and said thank you."

"Great Job, Chomper!" Prentiss ran her fingers through his curls before he ran off, "Thank you, Sir! I really appreciated your help telling the team."

"I didn't do anything," He replied puzzled.

"Your presence, you already knowing. It's silly but it helped." She smiled.

He opened the door, and turned back, "Thank you for having me. Enjoy your weekend, Prentiss."

Hotch strolled slowly back to his car, his sad thoughts running through his head but there a small bright light creeping in on the sides.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, I love each and every one.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch hung up the phone with his attorney. Why he had to get a stupid lawyer, he didn't know. He was a freaking member of the bar. Haley's lawyer had mentioned they would like to handle the divorce uncontested to avoid dragging it out. That idiot recommended they sell the house and dissolve all the joint accounts now so the only things left to handle in the divorce is child and spousal support. Now his idiot attorney agreed with Haley's. No one seemed to care to hear Hotch's thoughts in this matter.

He pulled up his financials on the computer screen and sighed. They were fine financially after Haley quit her job in the last months of her pregnancy. She hadn't really cared for the job so when she was put on bed rest, there was little incentive to stay employed. They had a healthy savings account and were able to shift to living on one income without any major lifestyle changes. But now, he had to pay mortgage on the house and rent on the apartment. He would have to significantly reduce the amount of money he was putting in savings and the retirement funds.

Frustrated, he decided walking away would be better than chucking the laptop across the room. Coffee, not that he needed it but it would occupy him for a few minutes.

Hotch headed to the kitchenette off the bullpen, Garcia was holding reign over Reid and Morgan at the small table, speed talking them into silence. Prentiss was in the kitchen yanking the microwave from the counter.

"Prentiss!"

"Oh good, Hotch! My arms aren't long enough. Can you hit the reset button on the electrical pluggy thing behind the microwave?" She staggered backwards with the weight of the microwave.

Hotch leaned forward, hit the red button and heard it click. He grabbed the power cord and plugged the microwave back in. Prentiss shoved the microwave back on the counter and pushed it back in place.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Electrical pluggy thing?"

"I was frustrated!" She defended herself, "Stupid microwave always shorts out the outlet. Outlet, that's the freaking word. Anyway, it's like 100 years old and heavy and should have been replaced years ago. And I have a crappy lunch and I am just a big ole whiner."

She stepped back looking horrified, "Sir, I am sorry. I was just frustrated."

Hotch smiled gently at her, "No worries, Prentiss. I understand and I would love to unleash all my frustrations on an ancient microwave too."

Prentiss relaxed a bit, "Lunch, sir?" She grabbed her frozen meal, "I have another one in the freezer."

"Just coffee, thanks!"

Hotch filled up cup of gut-rotting coffee and headed back towards his office. He walked quickly to avoid having to report Morgan and Garcia for harassment, as they held Reid down and tried to style his hair.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Hotch, you are heading out?" Morgan called out across the bullpen.

Sighing, Hotch walked to Morgan's desk. "I have an appointment at 6:00." He debated with himself internally, "to look at apartments."

Hotch could feel Prentiss and Reid's eyes on his back, so he turned around, "Haley and I are divorcing."

Reid looked shocked, and Prentiss bit her lip.

"Sorry to hear that man," Morgan clapped his hand on Hotch's shoulder, "Want me to go with you to look at apartments? I saved Reid $100 a month on rent."

Nodding, Reid's hair fell forward into his eyes. He pushed it back, "And he got the security deposit waived since I am a law enforcement officer. The manager didn't believe me and said my badge was fake."

The group laughed for a moment, breaking the tension.

"Seriously, man. I don't mind, you know I dabble in real estate."

The humiliation wasn't bad as he thought; no one fawned over him or pitied him. "That would be great, Morgan. Thanks."

Morgan sat back down at his computer, closing his open files, "Gimme two minutes."

"What neighborhood are you looking at, Hotch?" Prentiss asked.

Reid launched into commute times with the metro versus driving; informing them that living close didn't always warrant better travel times. He also factored in housing costs and recommended three neighborhoods that would be best for Hotch.

"Those are horrible neighborhoods, Reid." Prentiss informed the genius. "You need to consider the socio-economic factors as well."

"I'll get a map!"

Morgan stood up and raised his hand to stop Reid. "Pretty boy, relax! I'll bet Hotch already has the neighborhoods narrowed down."

Hotch nodded, "Thanks, Reid. I do appreciate your assistance though."

"Let's go!" Morgan grabbed his jacket and they headed out, leaving Reid and Prentiss behind.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Moving day arrived two weeks later. Morgan and Reid were going to help him grab a few pieces of furniture from the house and deliver them to his new apartment.

Morgan had been helpful in the apartment search. Hotch knew he wouldn't need him to negotiate the price but Morgan's experience was priceless. He had identified a leak with potential black mold problem in one place and eliminated another based on location in the building.

"You'll be sandwiched between tenants below, above and on both sides. Much too noisy." Morgan informed him.

They found a small six story building with only four units per floor and Hotch was able to get the top floor. The only downside was the tiny elevator. Moving furniture would be tough.

Hotch picked up the small moving truck and headed over to his old house. A 'For Sale' sign stood in the lawn.

Haley met him in the driveway, handing Jack over for a kiss. "I have packed all your stuff and put the boxes in the garage. That should make it easier."

"Hey Buddy!"

"Dada!" Jack yelled in his ear, squishing his father's head in his chubby arms.

Hotch laughed, and kissed Jack again.

"Thanks, Haley. I appreciate your help."

She pulled her keys from the diaper bag. "Um, okay then."

Hotch opened the door to her car, "I'll put Jack in."

Haley got into the driver's seat and Hotch put Jack in the back, strapping him into the car seat.

"We should be done by noon."

"No rush, Aaron. Bye."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch went into the garage and found boxes neatly organized and marked: Bedroom, Clothes, Books, Movies, Kitchen, Electronics.

He heard the rumble of a truck; sure enough Morgan and Reid were jumping out of Morgan's large black pickup.

"Hey Hotch!"

The men shook hands, and Morgan clapped his hands once, "So, what's first?"

"Big stuff first?" Hotch asked, "We need to move the furniture from the guest room and the study. Then we can load these boxes."

Within an hour, they were done and the small moving truck was only half full.

Hotch closed the garage door and stepped back looking at his former home. A wave of sadness washed over him again; his jaw clenching. He turned and strode purposefully to the moving truck, nodding his head to Morgan and Reid who were watching him from the pickup.

Unloading the truck and taking the large furniture up through narrow stairways took longer than he had anticipated. With Hotch and Morgan stuck in the stairwells, Reid tried to set up Hotch's library but he didn't have any bookcases. The study at the house had built in bookcases. So he decided to set up the entertainment center as Hotch had already bought that. It was sitting in the living room empty. Reid connected the tv to the digital antenna and blu ray player.

Next, he tackled the kitchen, unloading dishes, cutlery and glasses from boxes into the dishwasher. Reid laughed at the toddler dishes as they were adorned with cartoons characters from Sesame Street.

Hotch joined him in the small kitchen as Reid washed the pots and pans by hand. "What are those?"

Reid looked at him oddly, "Pots and pans, sir."

He rolled his eyes at the young doctor, "Those are new. Haley must have bought them."

Morgan joined them in the kitchen, the small space becoming claustrophobic. "Come on, guys, we have to unload my truck now."

"What?" Hotch asked.

Reid turned off the water and looked around the kitchen. Without a towel in sight, he wiped his wet hands on front of his pants.

Morgan stepped backwards out of the kitchen and moved to the door. Reid followed behind, sidestepping their Unit Chief.

"Emily packed up some of Liam's old things for Jack." Reid told him.

Hotch walked down to Morgan's truck, finding the back of the truck filled with crib, high chair, playpen and boxes. He stood frozen, as they unloaded the dismantled crib to the sidewalk.

"Wow!"

Morgan and Hotch grabbed the crib, strapped down with bungee cords, and Reid carried the high chair. Another tweny minutes and Morgan's truck was empty.

Reid happily put together the crib in Jack's new room. Morgan ordered a pizza and moved the boxes into the proper rooms.

Hotch made his bed in the new sheets and comforter from Haley; he had been expecting the comforter set from the guest room. He put the new towels in the bathroom before he picked up the phone.

"Hi."

"Haley, I unpacked a little, thank you. Um, I really appreciate everything you have bought for me." He stated stiffly.

"Oh Aaron, we don't need to make this difficult. It's hard enough, isn't it?" She asked him.

"It is and you have made this move so much easier."

"Do you want me to get some furniture for Jack's room? I was going to send the playpen next time you picked him up."

He sat down at his desk in the corner of his bedroom, "Actually, Prentiss sent over a crib and high chair that her son had outgrown."

"Great. I've already packed up some of his stuff to make things easier as he goes back and forth."

"Sounds good. Thank you, Haley."

She uttered a soft bye before clicking off. Hotch put his phone down and pulled out his shopping list, scratching out items that Haley and Prentiss already considered.

He returned to the living room and found Morgan scrolling through his channels.

Hotch sat heavily on the couch. "Thank you for your help."

"Anytime man! Now, you just need to order cable and I'll be happy."

Reid popped his head into the room, "Hotch, I placed Jack's crib along the south wall so he won't get too much light in the morning. Is that okay?"

"It's fine, Reid. Thank you." Hotch leaned back, "I can't believe how much stuff Prentiss sent over."

"I still can't get over her having a kid." Morgan muttered.

Morgan settled on an episode of This Old House on the local PBS station and the three FBI agents sat, mesmerized as the carpenters on the television built a dresser from a few pieces of wood.

A knock at the door brought them back to reality, the pizza had arrived.

"What's next, Hotch?" Morgan asked as they ate on the couch.

"I was going to the baby store for a crib for Jack. But now, I guess I just need to go to the regular furniture store. I need dining room set, and a dresser for Jack."

"You also need a six foot bookcase for your books, and at least a four foot one for Jack. Garcia may have ordered a few books for him." Reid pointing towards Jack's room.

"Oh God!"

Reid continued, "Don't worry, she also bought a bunch for Liam too."

They finished the pizza and turned off the tv. Hotch thanked them again as they headed out.

Walking around his sparse apartment, Hotch felt a bit better about his situation. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch returned the rental truck and picked up his car. He drove to the furniture store and made the salesman working on commission very happy. He pointed to a dining set, and bookcases in the same wood stain, "That one, with four chairs, no leaf needed. And two bookcases."

They walked towards the bedroom section, when Hotch noticed floor lamps. He point to a simply styled one, "Two of those." They continued on and he picked out a dresser and short bookcase to match Jack's new crib. The salesman promised next day delivery and Hotch was done. Furniture shopping completed. It took longer for the salesman to enter the address information and handle payment than it did to pick out furniture.

Once home, Hotch went into Jack's new room to imagine how the new furniture would sit. He sat on the floor and opened the boxes from Prentiss. Amongst the toys, books and clothes, she had packed crib sized sheets and baby sized towels.

He tipped to the left as he dug his phone out of his pocket, settling back down and calling her.

"Hi Hotch!" She answered warily.

"We don't have a case." He started and she laughed in relief, "I wanted to thank you for all the baby stuff you sent over."

"Of course, it was just sitting in the basement." She paused and hollered away from the phone "No Declan!" before continuing, "It's amazing how much stuff you need when they are babies, you know."

"I really appreciate it."

"Liam was very happy to pack up his old toys and books. He said he wants to meet Mr. Hotch's baby."

He chuckled at Liam's name for him, "We'll have to get them together."

"Sounds good! I have to run, Liam and Declan are probably eating raw cookie dough."

"Well, thanks again."

"No problemo! See you on Monday."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next day, Hotch grocery shopped. The experience was quite depressing. The store was busy, and he had no idea what to get for a single man. What if they got called a case, wouldn't it all go bad? If he only bought a small amount of food, and they didn't get called away, wouldn't he need to just need to grocery shop more often?

He sighed; he would go with the buying less method so not to waste food. He milled around the store, placing the pantry basics in the cart. The cart was nearly full and yet he didn't have anything to cook for dinner. Ketchup, flour and coffee don't make a meal. He double backed to the meat section and picked out chicken breasts and pork chops.

He was home in the time his furniture was delivered. He signed his name to the delivery order and shut the door. Hotch sat on his couch, miserable, and stared at the plastic wrapped chairs. He needed to get up and finish setting up. He needed to unpack books and shelve them. Maybe even unpack his own boxes but instead he sat and stared.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The team was called to Tennessee for a case. It was four days before he returned home. He threw together a quick dinner and started unpacking while it cooked.

Jack's room was unpacked. Hotch looked around and found the room a little sterile. The baby's room at home was a light green with striped wallpaper with plenty of pictures on the wall and a large teddy bear that took up an entire corner of the room.

Hotch returned to the kitchen and pulled the chicken out of the oven. He drank a beer as he waited for the chicken to cool a bit. He contemplated asking Garcia to help decorate Jack's room but he really didn't want to induce seizures in his son. He _could_ ask Prentiss.

Finishing up his dinner, Hotch rinsed his dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. Tonight, he would unpack his books and breakdown all the boxes. He would officially be unpacked.

His text alert beeped. It was from his brother, Sean.

' _Sup Bro'_

Hotch snickered as he typed back.

' _Sup? You sound like a 14 yr old girl. How are you?'_

' _Haha!_ _decent, u'_

' _divorcing and new apartment'_

Hotch wasn't surprised when the phone rang a few seconds later, "Hey Sean."

"Oh dude, that is awful."

He didn't normally share much with his younger brother but it had been two months since the separation. He needed to bite the bullet and just tell him. "Yeah, it has been pretty hard."

"Is it, like bad? Like did she cheat?"

Hotch couldn't help but laugh, "Are you, like, a fourteen year old girl, like really?"

"I didn't know what to say, Aaron. Don't be a douche!" Sean yelled at him before dropping his voice, "Seriously, are you okay?"

"Doing better I guess. I was angry for awhile. I am slowly accepting it."

A nervous laugh escaped, "Um, is that like the seven stages of grief?"

"Yeah, she didn't cheat. I just work too much and," Hotch didn't know what to say and there was an uncomfortable silence before Sean spoke up again.

"Aaron, you know you could have called me. I would have been there for you."

Sighing, Hotch considered it for a moment, "I know, I should have. I guess you being so much younger, I've always just parented you instead of being your brother."

"Things were different growing up. But we are both adults now so our relationship should probably change." Sean told him.

"I'd like that."

"Great. So does she let you see Jack?"

The brothers continued chatting as Hotch finished unpacking his movies and books. The conversation lasting longer than any they had ever had.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Prentiss, do you have a minute?" Hotch asked as they walked down the gangplank of the plane. Another case completed and the team was on stand down for a week. When Hotch relayed the news, Morgan and JJ left the plane rather quickly.

"Sure!"

"Could you help me decorate Jack's room? It's quite plain."

Prentiss clapped her hands like a little kid, "Really? I would love to! Have you considered a theme? What does he like?"

"Vision development in infants is interesting. Some studies show that infants from birth to three months are stimulated by black, white and red." Reid added.

She grabbed Reid's arm and pulled him close so they walked together, "True, but Jack is almost a year old. He will want bright colors."

"Bright colors can over stimulate children. I already placed Jack's crib on the wall with the least sunlight to ensure he isn't woken too early. Hotch will not be able to get him to sleep if you paint the room in bright colors."

Prentiss and Reid continued their discussion about Hotch's son as the three seasoned FBI agents left the airstrip and drove back to the office.

It was agreed that the next day, Hotch would shop with Prentiss for decorating items that would not overstimulate Jack. Hotch worked really hard at not rolling his eyes at both of his subordinates.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch rang the doorbell, and after a few moments, Prentiss and Liam opened the door.

"Mr. Hotch! Mr. Hotch!" Liam exclaimed as he jumped up and down.

"Hi Liam!" Hotch patting Liam's head as the boy hugged his legs.

"Where is Jack?"

"Jack is at home taking his nap. You can meet him next time."

Prentiss stepped back to invite Hotch in. He walked forward with a giggling two year old still attached to his leg.

Declan was sitting quietly in the living room, his head down.

"Hello Declan," Hotch called.

The blond boy looked up; his blue eyes were red rimmed and puffy. There were tear tracks on his face. Liam relinquished his hold on Hotch's leg and ran to Declan. The little boy patted the older boy on the back.

Hotch met Prentiss' eyes and she gave a small smile. "Would you mind if the boys join us for the shopping trip?"

"Louise has a hurted foot," helped Liam.

This statement brought fresh tears and hiccups from Declan. Prentiss sat next to him and hugged him. "It was an accident, Dec."

"I broke Mommy's foot!" Declan wailed.

"It's not broken but it hurts so Mommy is going to rest her foot. Do you want to help Mr. Hotchner make his son's room fun?"

All their eyes turned to Hotch, who nodded stiffly, "Yes, I need a big kid perspective."

Declan sniffed and wiped at his face.

"Good! Boys, go potty and wash hands."

"K, Mama!" Liam answered his mother as he pulled Declan off the couch. The boys raced up the stairs.

Hotch heard a heavy thud from upstairs but Prentiss waved it off.

"Louise tripped over one Declan's toys. Her ankle is sprained so I have her set up with ice packs and the remote control. The boys won't be any trouble today."

He nodded, "It's fine. I am just glad you are helping. I am lost when it comes to this kind of thing."

The boys ran back down the stairs, their little feet pounding on the wooden steps.

Prentiss barely glanced at them before she said, "Empty your pockets. One toy each!"

Grumbling and pleading didn't work, Prentiss sat impassively on the couch. Finally, the boys emptied their pockets of cars, spiders, dinosaurs, snakes and rocks. Liam picked a dinosaur and Declan picked a snake as their "one" toy.

Prentiss grabbed a large handbag and an armful of coats before ushering all of them out to her car. Hotch smiled at boys as they clambered into the booster seats, they seemed so much easier than the contraption he had to wrestle Jack into.

And then they were off to the shops, two FBI agents and two small children; Hotch had to admit to himself that he was nervous.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch was surprised with the boys' behavior in the store. They walked close to Prentiss, Liam holding Declan's hand. While their free hands caressed every single item on the shelves, they didn't ask for anything. They didn't run through the store, hollering or crying.

Prentiss pointed to the variety of themes, "Hotch, you could do a pirate theme, or outer space or cowboys."

"Does Jack like dinosaurs or jungle animals?" Liam asked Hotch when the father was stumped staring at the wall of toddler bedding.

"Jack is very little so he doesn't know about much yet." Hotch replied, disheartened.

"I have an idea. Why don't we pick a color? We will get a rug, curtains, and bedding. Then we can buy frames in that color and you can change out the pictures as he grows. You can always add that giant stuffed octopus if it turns out he likes Pirates." She said pointing at an octopus toy about the same size as Jack.

A huge sigh of relief escaped, and Hotch pointed to a plaid bedding set "How about red and blue?"

"Perfect!" Prentiss loaded the toddler bedding into the cart, and grabbed a medium size blue rug that was edged with red. She led them to the window dressing area. "Now, what size is Jack's window?"

Hotch pulled out his phone, "Reid, no, no case! Do you recall the size of Jack's window? Hmm, yes, yes, okay. Hold on," and passed the phone to Prentiss.

She rolled her eyes at Hotch as Reid talked and talked,"Yes, I know. I will, okay, Here's Hotch!"

They finished up their conversation and Hotch hung up the phone.

"Here we are, blackout curtains per Reid's instructions in Jack's window size." Prentiss announced as she handed Hotch blue curtains with a thin red pinstripes, "Now to the fun stuff."

The boys cheered and Hotch followed behind them with the shopping cart to the toy section. Declan led Liam to a train table and they began to play.

"That's what you need!" Prentiss pointed to the train table.

"But Jack isn't even tall enough to reach it." Hotch complained.

"Yes, he is. He can use this for years, for trains or animals or cars or Legos. And the best part is the rolling drawers underneath. It's a toy box and table all in one." Prentiss explained.

Hotch grabbed heavy box from the shelf and struggled to fit it in the bottom rack of the shopping cart, "Prentiss, can you hold the cart still? It keeps rolling."

Pushing, pulling and finally wedging the box under the basket, Hotch stood up and found Prentiss smirking at him. He raised an eyebrow at her and she wiped the grin off her face.

He wandered away to the frames and prints, and thought about what Jack might like when he grows up. Right now, he said a few words and recognized a few animals and emulated the sounds they make, "Meow," "Woof," and "Tack Tack," the latter for ducks quacking. He loved to roll the ball or throw a car, which always made Haley laugh. "Jack Jack - you throw the ball and you roll the car." She would tell him as he giggled.

Hotch sucked in a breath through his teeth. "Stop thinking about Haley," he muttered to himself.

Frames, he needed frames. He found simple blue frames and grabbed three of them. Turning to the bins, he thumbed through different prints. The choices were more abundant than the bedding choices, from every possible animal to sport. He decided on transportation set with a race car, dump truck and airplane.

He headed back towards the toy section, and met Prentiss and the boys halfway. Declan seemed to be arguing with Prentiss.

"Those are the rules, Dec."

Hotch liked the way Prentiss spoke to the kids. She didn't try to argue or negotiate with them but she didn't look like she was preventing a tantrum. Declan looked like he was about to stomp his feet in anger when he noticed him.

"Emily, can Mr. Hotchner take me to the bathroom? He's a boy!"

A look of horror crossed her face as she locked eyes with her supervisor.

Hotch couldn't help but chuckle, "Prentiss, can you watch the cart? The boys and I need to use the Men's Room."

Liam jumped up and down, cheering. The boys each grabbed one of Hotch's hands and they strolled over the bathrooms.

"I hate going in the girls room!" Declan confided as they entered the bathroom.

There was a wall with two urinals at normal height and a lower small one at a child's height. Hotch had never seen a child sized one before. Declan took care of business and washed his hands at a child sized sink.

"Can I go too? Please? Mr. Hotch, please!" Liam pleaded as he bounced up and down.

Hotch considered Liam's height; even with the low urinal, the boy would not be able to use it on his own. "How about I lift you up and you aim?"

"Yay!"

Crouching down, Hotch helped the boy with his pants noting that apparently toddlers like to lowered their pants completely instead of unzipping. He lifted up Liam,who giggled, the entire time he peed. Perhaps it was the giggling while peeing or that the toddler wasn't great at aiming but the urinal was now sprinkled.

Hotch lowered the toddler and pulled up his pants. Declan took over, pulling out the stool under the child sized sink and helped Liam wash his hands. Grimacing, Hotch used a wad of paper towels and wiped down the urinal before washing his hands several times.

After the boys dried their hands (and hair) with the air dryer, Hotch led them out of the bathroom.

Prentiss met him outside the doors, "Better or worse than a crime scene?"

"Well, since it was just number one…"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: *Target has a large red and blue pirate octopus toy with an eye patch in the children's bedding area (2015) and I thought it was the coolest thing I have ever seen. If I could just convince my husband, we'd have a pirate themed bedroom just so I could buy it.

Also, there was a reviewer question about how Louise and Declan play into this story. They are a big part of the story. They live next door (attached homes in the brownstone) to Emily and Liam. They spend a lot of time together.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A few weeks later, Haley offered to drop off Jack for his visit with Hotch. This was her first time to his apartment. Jack unleashed a holler when he saw his father, "Dada!" and tried to leap out of Haley's arms.

"How are you, Haley?"

"Aaron, this place is nice."

He put Jack on the ground and the little boy crawled around the apartment. "Jack, want to show your room to Mommy?"

Hotch and Haley followed the baby as he crawled to his room.

"Oh, it's wonderful." Haley exclaimed when as she walked into Jack's room. The plain white walls were warmed up with the framed pictures and the curtains. The toddler sized plaid blanket hung on the wall like a tapestry behind Jack's crib. The blue rug filled the floor with warmth. His bookcase was filled with books and his train table had his favorite toys on top.

Jack crawled over to the train table and pulled himself up into a standing position. He smashed his truck on the top of the table and babbled.

"Aaron, you did an amazing job in here."

Hotch rubbed the back of his neck, "It was mostly Prentiss and Reid. I just put things away."

She laughed softly, placing her hand on his forearm, "You did a good job. I'd say Jack agrees."

The little boy looked up at the sound of his name, "Dada, beep beep!"

"Truck goes beep beep." Hotch agreed with his son and sat on the floor beside him.

Haley walked over to the bookcase, caressing the spines of the children's books, "I was thinking about Jack's party next month. We can have the party at the house if that's okay with you. I'll get you invitations for Sean and the team."

Surprised, Hotch's head snapped up, "You want me there? And the team?"

She crossed the floor and sat down on the other side of the train table. Haley rolled a car back and forth until Jack snatched it out of her hands, "Of course! You are his father. That won't ever change. It will be uncomfortable, I'm sure but we are adults.."

He smiled, "We can handle it."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The missing child case was resolved. The child was found, CPR had worked. Yet this case was not a happy ending. Were any of their cases truly happy endings?

He called Haley before driving from the mall to his old house. Jack slept through the visit but the few moments Hotch spent with him would result in a good night's rest.

Afterwards, Haley walked him to the door, handing him a packet of invites for Jack's party. "I saw the news. You did good."

"The case was a bit more involved. I am not sure this little girl," hesitating, he stopped and took a breath. "This was a bad one, Haley."

She hugged him, "Tonight, she is safe. You made that happen."

He dropped his head to her shoulder and pulled her closer, "Thank you."

Hotch released her and she smiled up at him, "Not so awkward, eh?"

Chuckling, he said, "We are getting there. Thanks for the invites! Do you mind if Prentiss brings her son? " He snorted, "Actually, her kid and her neighbor's kid? They are like brothers."

"Not at all, I'll add two more goody bags. Have a good night, Aaron."

Returning to his apartment, Hotch opened the fridge. The meager offerings were questionable. A quick call to the Chinese restaurant and dinner was taken care of, now on to laundry. Hotch emptied the dirty clothes out of his go bag and refilled it. He placed the dry cleaning bag by the front door to drop off in the morning.

Beer, check. Game on TV, check. Sitting alone on his couch, check.

Hotch pulled out his phone and texted Sean.

' _How are you? Jack's bday coming up. Party on 18th, can you come down?'_

Sean replied within a minute.

' _let me kno when and i will come down. crash at your place?'_

' _My couch has your name on it.'_

' _cool - late dinner rush - laterz'_

Hotch smiled as he thought of his brother in the kitchen of the restaurant texting with one hand and holding a butcher knife in the other. He rolled his eyes, surely Sean would put the knife down before texting.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Episode referenced in this chapter is Season 3, Episode 5: Seven Seconds


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch had been pleased when Rossi came out of retirement. Dave was one of the few people that he trusted but right now, he really wanted to punch him in the face. He embarrassed the team in front of the local LEOs. "Groupthink, my ass!"

The team was pissed at Rossi and at Hotch by proxy. JJ chose to release her anger by running the treadmill at the hotel gym. He had to send Prentiss to drag her out after two hours. Reid was crushed that his idol was a jackass in real life. This was the one time that Hotch dreaded private jet. Tensions were so high, he felt like the plane was vibrating from the seething team.

He pulled out his paperwork, monotony may help get through the next few hours. Finishing up the case notes, he pulled out the next batch of files, expense reports. Tucked inside the folder, in between Garcia's office supplies receipts (including one for a 24 pack of purple pens as Hotch himself banned pink ink - too hard on the eyes) were Jack's first birthday invitations.

Hotch assessed the team. Morgan had his eyes closed with headphones on, JJ was pretending to read while Reid and Prentiss played chess. Rossi was scribbling away in his tiny notebook. He would hand them out tomorrow.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

In the morning, Hotch dropped off the invitations on each person's desk. He stopped at Prentiss' desk and grabbed a sticky note. Penning, "Both Liam and Declan are welcome," he stuck it to the envelope.

Consults with JJ filled his morning. They decided on the Florida satanist case and headed to the conference room. After Prentiss embarrassed herself by declaring satanic cult had been de-bunked (Dave's doing), the team broke to gather their go bags.

The team split into two SUVs; Hotch driving Rossi, Prentiss and Reid.

"All good?" Hotch asked Dave as Prentiss and Reid settled into the back seat.

Dave looked bashful, "Let's just say, I was schooled."

Hotch raised his eyebrow at him, "Schooled?"

Laughter echoed from the back seat and Prentiss leaned forward and patted Rossi on the shoulder.

"It's what Morgan called it. JJ called me into her office last night and calmly proceeded to tear me a new one. Spitfire, that one!" Rossi told Hotch.

Nodding in agreement, Hotch pulled out of the parking garage and headed to the airstrip.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Who would think a satanic cannibal would bring the team together? Rossi and Morgan had come to decent relationship after their mutual opportunities for "personal growth." JJ had moved on from her anger with him. Prentiss was getting along well with him, as she did with most people. Opposite case with Reid; it was still awkward but there was an adjustment period for the young doctor and the people he met. Garcia hadn't spent enough time with Rossi yet but Hotch had a good feeling about them getting along. After all, who didn't get along with Garcia?

Hotch stepped out of his office after another long and unnecessary call with Strauss to find the bullpen filled with laughter. JJ and Garcia sat on top of Reid's desk, with Prentiss, Morgan and Dave surrounding the young doctor. Reid must be doing a magic trick.

Hotch approached the group, and Dave stepped to the side to allow him into the circle.

Startled, Reid pocketed something and turned his chair to face him, "Hi Hotch! Isn't it lunch time?"

"Lunch, yes, I am treating. Is that cafe on Elm still around?" Dave asked.

They chatted the rest of the drive before meeting the rest of the team. The cafe served family style so they had their hand full passing around the platters.

"Thank you for inviting Declan, Hotch." Prentiss said.

A small smile pulled at his mouth, "I told Haley that they were inseparable, like brothers."

Prentiss let out a little gasp before turning it into a small cough. "Excuse me!" She raised her hand to her chest, "Yes, they are best buds. It's funny since Declan is so much older."

"What shall I get Mini-Hotch? OMG, I know just the thing. A little leather jacket!" Garcia exclaimed.

Reid passed over the pitcher of water to Hotch, "I think a developmental toy would be better than clothing that Jack will outgrow in three months time. At this point, his fine motor skills will be…"

Morgan reached over and stuffed a piece of bread into Reid's mouth, silencing him.

Hotch gave Morgan a hard look until he dropped his head in shame, causing the table to breakout in laughter. "Jack has plenty of toys and clothes. We just want you to celebrate his birthday with us."

"Nice try! That little boy will be spoiled rotten by this group." JJ told him.

He shook his head at the team and finished his lunch.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N:

Episodes referenced in this chapter are Season 3, Episode 6: About Face and Season 3, Episode 8: Lucky


	15. Chapter 15

Readers: Thank you for the reviews and follows, I really appreciate it.

 **Chapter 15**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Aaron!" Sean gave his big brother a hug when Hotch answered the door. "Dude, nice bachelor pad!"

Hotch tried to resist rolling his eyes but within moments of being with Sean, he was reduced to juvenile behavior.

Sean dropped his duffel bag by the door and Hotch locked the door behind him.

"Beer?"

"Yeah, thanks man." Sean followed Hotch into the kitchen and taking the offered bottle, "Heineken? Really, Aaron? There are a million craft beers out there and you are sticking with this?"

Hotch took a long pull from his bottle, "I guess I got stuck in a rut."

The brothers headed to the living room to hang out. Sean stared for a little too long; assessing. Hotch grew uncomfortable.

"So, what's the plan? Jack's party tomorrow?"

He nodded, "I'd like to get there a little early to help Haley setup."

"Sounds good! So do you want to go out tonight? The Hotchner men out on the prowl!"

Snorting, Hotch shoved Sean.

"Fine, fine! Order in or go out to dinner?"

Thai food and beer were followed by more beer. Sean shared stories about his kitchen, reviews (funny and awful), crazy customer requests, and his head chef. Hotch shared a few stories about his team, with the light mood, he didn't touch on the cases.

Before long, the beers caught up with Hotch and he opened up about his failed marriage. Sean listened and asked a few questions; mostly letting his older brother talk.

It was late when Hotch grabbed sheets and blankets from the linen closet. Sean made up the couch and disappeared into the bathroom.

Hotch gathered the beer bottles and dinner boxes from the coffee table. He deposited them into the trash and recycling cans in the kitchen. He laughed at himself, even drunk, he had to be perfect. Never make a mess, and keep going until it's all perfect. Well, that sure didn't get him anywhere.

Sean found him in the kitchen, his hands clutching the trash can with tears on his face.

"Come on, Aaron. Let's get you to bed." Sean took the can from him, "I will take out the trash."

With Hotch in bed and the trash outside, Sean laid back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. "Damn you, Dad," he muttered, "damn you for the hurt you still inflict decades after your death."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: It's a little depressing isn't it?


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Hello Everyone, Thank for you for reading.

I want to thank Natzinoo for becoming my Beta Reader. This is the first chapter that has been beta'd. She truly transformed the chapter and provided great insight. So big shout out to Natzinoo

Chapter 16

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The party was scheduled for 3:00 pm, after Jack's nap. So the brothers had plenty of time to sleep in, and "chill" before heading over to help with the birthday party.

Sean ran to the store while Hotch was still asleep. When he got back, he pulled together a simple breakfast with Hotch's help. They ate and headed to the park nearby to play basketball, talking trash, shoving at each other, and sweating from the exertion. Hotch felt energized, the drunk melancholy feeling exorcised from him. They returned to the apartment for showers before driving out to the house.

Haley and Jack greeted them at the door, "Hi Aaron. Sean, so glad you were able to come."

She passed Jack to Hotch, and he kissed the boy on the forehead and pulled Sean into a hug.

"Jack, do you remember your Uncle Sean?" Haley asked as Jack stared at Sean.

"Hi Jack! Happy Birthday Little Dude!"

Jack tucked his head into his father's neck, and Hotch rubbed his back. "He's a little shy this close to his nap."

They followed Haley out of the front entry and down the hallway into the kitchen where the table was covered in plastic bags. "Can you guys decorate while I pull together the food?"

Sean was put in charge of hanging the streamers as he announced, "I'm a half inch taller!" causing Hotch to accidently bump Sean's shoulder as he went around him to get the helium tank.

Hotch filled the balloons with Jack sitting on his hip. Eventually, he gave Jack a red balloon and placed him on the floor. The one year old crawled around hitting the balloon on everything he came across.

Rejoining Haley in the kitchen, Hotch opened up the plastic wrapping around the paper plates and cups, setting them up on the counter. They chatted about Jack for a bit; Haley sharing his newly learned words.

Sean wandered in with Jack sitting on his shoulders, whacking him in the head with his balloon. Haley pulled out her phone and began snapping photos despite his objections.

"It looks like you volunteered to give Jack lunch." She told her brother in law.

Digging around in the fridge, she pulled out yogurt and leftover casserole. She made Jack a small plate as Hotch strapped him into the high chair. Sean watched as they worked seamlessly together. With a sad sigh, he couldn't fathom why everything had to go so wrong.

Sean fed Jack his lunch. He had thought it would involve him actually feeding the boy. Instead, Jack fed himself, telling his uncle "me 'poon" as he banged his spoon on the tray. Sean laughed as the noodles kept slipping off the spoon, and Jack would use his hands to put them back on. Unfortunately, the noodles slipped off again as the spoon made it's way to Jack's mouth.

Sean kept wiping up Jack's face and hands as yogurt smeared everywhere. He panicked when the yogurt made it's way into Jack's light brown hair.

"We'll give him a quick bath before his nap." Hotch told his brother.

Haley grabbed Jack for his bath as Hotch offered to run to the bakery for the cake. Sean decided to stay behind so he could speak with Haley; ignoring his brother's raised eyebrow.

Jack splashed happily as Haley shampooed his hair, "All right, Sean, go ahead and ask."

Sean leaned against the bathroom counter, "I can't believe this is happening. You've been together since I was eight. Over twenty years, Haley."

"I know, I know. This isn't easy for me either. I didn't set out to hurt Aaron. I was tired of being alone. I kept thinking 'well law school is only three years', then it was 'he needs to establish his career', and so on. I was never a priority. He travels constantly and even when he's here in town, he stays at the office late. I never knew when he was coming home. I was alone all the time."

She was kneeling on the floor of the bathroom, rinsing Jack's hair. When she turned back to look at Sean, he was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"Oh Haley," he sighed.

"Grab that towel and wrap him tight," she instructed her brother in law, "Jack Jack, time to hop out."

Haley pulled the plug in the tub and picked up a squirming wet baby. She held him over the tub for a moment before turning and thrusting him into the towel in Sean's hands.

Sean wrapped Jack and held him close, afraid to drop him as the boy tried to wiggle free.

They went into Jack's room, and Sean handed him to his mother. She placed him on the changing table and gently dried him. Diaper, lotion, and clothes were taken care of before she laid him down in the crib.

Jack squawked indignantly, but Haley rubbed his head affectionately. "Go to sleep, Jack."

She headed to the door with Sean following behind as Jack stood up in the crib and rattled the side of the crib "No 'leep! No 'leep"

Sean hesitated but Haley pulled at his arm, "He'll settle down in about 10 minutes."

In the family room, Haley turned on the baby monitor and they could hear Jack babbling to his toys.

Sean sat across from his sister in law, "Are you doing okay?"

Her eyes welled up, he jumped out the chair and moved across the room to pull her into his arms. He held her close as she sobbed. Crying women were not Sean's speciality, so he awkwardly patted her back and murmured platitudes until she pulled away. Haley grabbed the tissue box from a nearby table and scrubbed at her face.

"I know I hurt him with the divorce. I don't think he knew he was hurting me all this time in our marriage. We should have made more of an effort but by the time it all came to a head, I was becoming bitter. I didn't want to end up hating him, you know?"

Nodding, Sean sat back down, "He's heart broken. He tried to do his best for his family. That meant working and providing. That's what he knows, Haley."

She took in a shuddering breath, "This is hard on him, on us."

"This sucks!"

Haley laughed, "Oh Sean, that sums it up nicely."

The sound of the front door closing had them both turning around.

"Did you guys have enough time to talk about me? If not, I can circle around the block a few more times." Hotch stated dryly, carrying two bakery boxes stacked on top of each other.

Haley stepped forward and took the smaller box on top, and headed to the kitchen.

"Oh please, you knew it was going to happen." Sean told him.

Hotch headed for the kitchen to drop off the cake, Haley smiled at him, "He cares about you. That's a good thing, Aaron."

"I know," he grumbled.

"Can you and Sean take care of the goody bags while I take a shower?"

He nodded, Haley gave his arm a squeeze as she walked away.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Another sad chapter but things are looking up.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: So I had no idea how many commas where missing from my writing. Thanks to my beta, Natzinoo, for her amazing grammar skills and ability to turn my rough draft into a work of art.

Also -I am noticing quirkiness in the FF Doc Manager when I copy and paste the chapters. I seem to lose a few words here and there. Re-pasting the paragraph results in the same missing words. I am fixing them manually as I come across them but if you spot an odd sentence or missing punctuation, let me know.

 **Chapter 17**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Haley's sister, Jessica, was the first to arrive for the party. She first hugged Sean, "How are you, Handsome?" and then Hotch, whispering, "Aaron, I am sorry."

Garcia arrived next with a brightly wrapped gift, "I promise it's not a leather jacket, sir."

"Leather jacket?" asked Haley, "Penelope, why would you get a baby a leather jacket?"

"Cause it's cool, but Hotch didn't seem to care for the idea. Thanks for inviting me!" She gave Haley a quick hug, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find the birthday boy and smother him in kisses."

Haley and Hotch worked the door, welcoming the influx of neighbors and friends. Jack's squeals of laughter rang through the house.

Reid arrived with Prentiss, which had Hotch raising his eyebrows. The boys piled out, and Liam ran straight to Hotch grabbing his legs. "Can I meet Jack now?"

Haley smiled at the toddler attached to her soon to be ex, "Who's this?"

Prentiss and Reid joined them in the front entry with Declan standing behind them.

"Hello Haley! This is my son, Liam, and our dear friend, Declan."

Reid waved to Haley, and tipped his head to Hotch before disappearing inside.

"Hi Liam, Hi Declan," Haley smiled at the boys, "Hello Emily, thank you for coming. I was surprised when Aaron told me you have a son."

Liam tugged on Hotch's hand several times to get his attention, "Where is Jack?"

"He's inside! This is Haley, she is Jack's mom." Hotch told them.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Haley." Liam said, untangling one of his arms from around Hotch's leg.

Declan corrected him, "No Liam, you hafta call her Mrs. Hotchner."

However, Liam was already pushing Hotch into the house, "Mr. Hotch, hurry!" leaving Declan to bring up the rear.

Hotch could hear Haley and Prentiss laughing behind him.

Garcia was holding Jack when Hotch and the boys entered the room. "Decster and Prentiss Jr! Gimme hugs!"

Jack leaned forward, demanding "Dada", and Hotch took him from Garcia.

"This is Jack." Hotch waved Jack's hand at the boys, "This is Liam, and Declan."

Liam leaned forward for a close up of Jack, "He's little," he informed Hotch seriously.

Declan held out his hand, "Hi Jack." and Jack slapped his chubby hand into Declan's.

"My turn," Liam said, "Hi Jack, I am two and a half. We are gonna be friends."

Jack slapped Liam's outstretched hand, shouting, "Hi!"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Jack clapped his hands as everyone sang Happy Birthday, not realizing they were singing to him. Haley placed him in the high chair with his own mini cake. Jack immediately stuck his finger in the frosting and put it in his mouth. Determining that cake was indeed the best thing ever, he used both hands to grab the cake and began eating. It seemed that everyone was snapping photos of the chocolate covered boy.

JJ and Prentiss helped Haley pass out slices of cake, as Garcia handled putting tiny straws in the juice boxes for the kids.

Sean grabbed a case of beer from the garage fridge and handed them out to the adults. He started laughing when he saw Derek Morgan hitting on Jessica. "Are you hitting on my woman?" He asked the profiler.

Jessica smacked Sean, "Don't ruin this for me; I've heard the stories about Morgan, now I want to see him in action."

Chagrined, Morgan threw his hands up, "I'm sorry, Sean. I didn't realize."

In between her giggles, Jessica said, "I used to babysit Sean when he was little. I'm Haley's sister."

"Hotch is going to kill me." he groaned.

Across the room, Hotch was wiping down Jack's face and hands when he heard the laughter. He turned around and saw that Morgan looked embarrassed, while Sean and Jessica continued laughing at him.

On the other side, mingled in with the kids, Reid was animatedly explaining something and gesturing with his hands.

"Emily, I need your phone!" Declan ran over and patted at Prentiss' pockets, sliding her phone out while she tried to balance three plates of cake.

The five year old raced back to Reid and fiddled with the phone until it began playing a song. Declan and Liam sang along as the remaining kids, and Reid, listened.

Hotch lifted a somewhat clean birthday boy out of the high chair, and carried him over to Haley.

"There's my big boy!"

"Cake! Cake peas!" Jack told his mother.

"All done, Jack Jack." She informed him, but he was not pleased, muttering the word cake over and over. "Aaron, shall we do presents?"

Jack loved his first present, an animal book with sounds. As a result, he was not interested in opening anything else, leaving Haley to open them on his behalf, and thanking the guests.

Soon the party came to a close; goody bags were handed out to the kids, and people trickled out of the house. Jessica disappeared into the kitchen to clean up, but not before she assigned Sean to trash duty. Hotch smirked as his brother wandered through the house with a garbage bag, picking up stray cups and plates.

Prentiss was helping Haley with the gifts, while her boys (Reid, Liam and Declan) played with Jack. Hotch wondered how Reid managed to get himself adopted into Prentiss' family, especially after he had been so aggressive toward her during the depths of his addiction. Then again it seemed fitting, after all Prentiss had been the only one who was tough on him; like a parent would be. Hotch guessed that because Reid hadn't had much of a family growing up, he had happily allowed Prentiss to fill that role.

The doorbell rang, and Hotch found David Rossi standing on the porch. "I'm not much for kid's parties but I wanted to drop off a gift."

"Come in, Dave." Hotch greeted him warmly.

Haley was surprised to see him, "Dave, I didn't know you were back."

"Hello Haley!" He leaned in and hugged her, "It's been too long."

Dave settled in with Prentiss on the couch, and she introduced the boys to him. She announced that it was time for them to leave, only to be met with the sounds of groans. Reid unfolded himself from the floor and stood.

"Haley, it was nice to see you again. Thank you for having us." Prentiss bent down and rubbed Jack's hair, "Happy Birthday Jack."

Reid handed Prentiss back her phone, as Hotch walked them to the door. "Thanks for coming."

"Bye Mr. Hotch!" Liam hugged his legs again before running off to the car, Declan chasing him.

Reid raised his hand in a short wave as he followed them. Prentiss watched them open the car doors, "It's almost like having three boys."

"I thought that earlier. It's like you adopted Reid." Hotch told her.

She snorted, "Yup, Reid's mine now. Jack is super cute, Hotch. Thank you for inviting us."

Hotch watched them drive away, trying to kill time before he went inside. He knew that at this moment, the three people that knew him the best were inside plotting to get Haley and him back together.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: See a happy chappie!


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: A HUGE Thank You to Natzinoo for being a great Beta! She has transformed my ramblings into a story. She has just published her first Criminal Minds fanfic called Forever a Family. Give it a read. You can find it in my Favorite Stories / Authors area.

 **Chapter 18**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Sean was handing Dave a glass of scotch when Hotch returned to the living room. Jack was hitting his new book with his new truck, causing a loud bang followed by an elephant trumpeting.

Jessica and Haley came in from the kitchen with a slice of cake for Dave.

Everyone settled into their seats. The tension in the room rose as no one spoke. Jack smashed the book again, the sound of a lion roaring caused them to laugh uncomfortably.

"So, Dave, you came out of retirement?" Haley asked.

He nodded, "I missed it."

Jessica asked a few questions about his most recent book tour as he ate the chocolate cake. The conversation faltered, and the room was quiet again.

Dave watched Hotch and Haley exchange glances. He looked across at Sean, who shook his head. Dave sighed, "I am guessing there isn't much of a chance at reconciliation?"

Resigned, Hotch answered, "I don't think so." He reached over and took Haley's hand, giving it a little squeeze before letting go.

Haley gave them a sad smile, "I'm sorry, no."

Jessica stood up, "It's time for me to head out. Dave, it was nice to see you again."

The men stood up, each giving her a hug. Sean offered to walk her out, promising to stay in touch.

Dave handed Haley a card, "For Jack," and followed Jessica and Sean out.

Hotch and Haley were alone with Jack.

"All right, no more drama, questions, or interfering family members. Let's figure out which gifts should go home with you." Haley said.

They divided up some of the clothes and toys, Hotch shaking his head at Garcia's gift, baby sized Converse high top shoes. Sean came back inside and helped them clean up. Hotch and Sean said their goodbyes to Jack and Haley before leaving.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Well, that went better than I expected." Sean told Hotch as they drove back to the apartment.

"Did you expect us to fight at our son's first birthday party?'

Sean fiddled with the radio, changing the channels rapidly, "No, but you and Haley got along. I expected a freeze out or something."

"So, how did your talk go with Haley?"

Pointing out the window, Sean said, "Oooh I heard good things about this place. Let's get some dinner, and then you can lecture me on gettin' all up in your business."

They were seated quickly, and handed menus. Sean asked a few questions of the server, and the men found themselves touring the kitchen and chatting with the chef.

Hotch enjoyed seeing Sean in his element, discussing the farm to table movement, and the latest and greatest in commercial kitchen equipment.

Settled at their table with appetizers, Hotch said, "I am glad you didn't listen to me. You didn't belong in law school."

"Are you admitting you were wrong?" Sean smirked, "Aaron Hotchner admits Sean Hotchner knows what he is doing!"

The brothers ate and bantered for awhile before Hotch finally asked, "Your talk with Haley?"

Sean sighed and fiddled with his napkin, "She's hurting, but she loves you. I talked to Jess for a bit outside. Haley is in therapy."

"She didn't want to go to therapy together." Hotch rubbed the back of his neck, "I had hoped for awhile that we would reconcile. I am still trying to accept the fact that it's over."

"This sucks! But now you get to play the field with me. I am an awesome wingman."

Hotch rolled his eyes, "Sean, I've been separated for two months."

"Legally separated!"

Their server interrupted them to clear the plates and Hotch used it as an opportunity to change topics. Restaurant talk was followed by plans for Hotch to visit Sean in New York in the near future.

At the apartment, Sean unloaded the car and trekked up the stairs while Hotch found a parking spot on the busy street.

Sean played with Jack's toys telling Hotch, "That's cool!" or "We didn't have toys like this!" as they unpacked and stored them.

Eventually they settled on the couch, watching a game on tv.

"Sean, I'm glad you were here."

Slapping his brother on the shoulder, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch finished his shower, rubbing his wet hair with a towel. The mirror was foggy, he reached across and wiped the moisture off. He noticed his wedding ring on his left hand. A solid band of polished gold. It was a part of him; been there for so many years that he didn't even register it anymore.

Hotch laid back on his bed, thinking through the last few months. Twisting the band around his finger, he took it off and looked at it. It was worn, lost some its luster but it was solid, unlike his marriage.

He lost Haley, his wife. His first girlfriend, his first everything. They had broken up in college, at her insistence. They needed a year to explore, be wild, take chances or they would always regret it, she told him. They made it a full semester apart, in their freshman year.

He rubbed the groove, indented by the ring, in his finger. His marriage was over, they were done. He sat up and paced with the ring in his hand. Slipping it on and off.

He had lost Haley but he had gained a brother. Sean, his little brother was in his life now. More than a call at the holidays and a text now and then.

He had his team, his other family. They had been on the brink of falling apart, but now they were stronger than ever. Despite losing Gideon, the team had pulled together, and Prentiss was the main reason. He was slowly moving towards happiness, and in order to reach the next level, he would need to let go of the past. Hotch opened up his valet box on the top of his dresser, and placed the ring carefully between his watches and cufflinks. He closed the lid gently.

It was time, time to let go of Haley.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Another chapter, a happy one, that has been beta'd by the fabulous Natzinoo.

 **Chapter 19**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

One case after another, Hotch moved through his life. He worked, bought groceries, threw away groceries, ordered take out, dropped off his laundry, promptly forgot to pick up his laundry. Eventually learning his dry cleaner had a delivery service.

His time with Jack was fun, and dangerous, as the one year old had learned to walk. Hotch found himself running after Jack with his arms out, trying to brace any potential falls. Jack was speaking more, announcing his demands loudly.

On his days off, Hotch pulled out his bike. He had given up riding between pressures of work and home. Now, if he didn't have Jack, he would take a five mile loop around a nearby park.

He kept up with Sean through text messages; they were closer than they had ever been. Sean opening up about his frustrations with the dynamic between the restaurant owner and the executive chef. Hotch admitting that he was lonely.

When the team went out for drinks, Hotch forced himself to go for at least one drink. He learned more about his team from watching them interact. After a few drinks, Reid was touchy feeling, his 'no handshake' rule was exchanged for a 'hugging is a must.' Morgan, always surrounded by women, gathered phone numbers and waggled his eyebrows at the team. However Hotch knew he would rarely followed through. Morgan enjoyed giving off the player vibe. JJ was an amazing dancer, tearing up the floor with or without drinks. Garcia's bubbly personality was dimmed after two drinks, her body slowly sliding down in the booth until she was half asleep. Prentiss was tricky, always with a vodka cranberry in her hand, but if he had to guess the amount of vodka was negligible. Rossi rarely joined them, but when he did, he opted for a scotch before heading out.

The last time, when Hotch stood to leave, JJ challenged him to a game of darts, "Being a perfect shot on the job does not translate to darts!" She was right, but Hotch managed to hold his own.

After a close game, Morgan had clapped him on the back, "Nice to see you smile, man."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

It was the BAU's rotation at the FBI Academy. Each agent had to put in forty hours, one week's worth of teaching at the Academy each year. Prentiss taught Child Interviewing Skills. JJ held a media workshop, and gave Rossi the evil eye when he offered to help. Somehow Rossi's name was not on the roster to teach; he must have had a friend in the administration office alter his assignments. Hotch and Reid paired up to teach Profiling Basics.

Morgan taught hand to hand combat, and co-taught an obsessive behaviors seminar with an agent from another unit. Morgan invited each member of the team to volunteer for the combat class, to "set a good example." There was a collective eye roll from everyone except Prentiss. She hadn't experienced the full body bruising that lasted for weeks after volunteering. Never to back down from a challenge, Prentiss accepted Morgan's invitation with a smirk.

Hotch and Garcia went down to the gym to watch the action. Morgan demonstrated several holds and sparring techniques with the recruits. A few recruits were able to keep up with Morgan but eventually he would get the best of them.

It was finally Prentiss' turn. Within moments of stepping out onto the mat, she had her knee pushing gently into Morgan's neck. The recruits cheered, and Garcia hugged Hotch tightly, "Did you see that? I hope the cameras are working cause I am going to loop that video and watch it all day long."

Morgan stood up, "Lucky shot, Princess. Let's go again."

The next round had a few kicks and punches, Prentiss taking a hard hit to her core before she knocked him down and had both his hands behind his back.

He shook his head, trying to clear it before he charged at his partner. He flipped her over his shoulder, but as she hit the mat she swept his feet out from under him. Morgan went down hard, and Prentiss rolled over and scrambled over him, putting her knee on his neck again.

"Holy Batman, Emily! You kick ASS!" Garcia yelled above the hollering and clapping of the recruits.

Hotch's mouth dropped open and his eyebrows shot up. He knew she was strong, but this was unbelievable.

Prentiss stood and held out her hand to Morgan. He clasped it and she pulled him up. Morgan swept her into a bear hug before spinning her around, declaring "Princess, you are a rock star."

The news of Morgan repeatedly being taken down traveled through the FBI quickly. Agents from different departments walked by the bullpen trying to catch a glance of Prentiss. Hotch had a feeling it was related to the group email Garcia had sent out. He didn't blame them, it was impressive. He had watched it a few times himself, shaking his head at the soundtrack that had been added. Hotch found himself humming the tune of "I'm just a girl" for days afterwards.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

With the latest case solved and the team settled down on the jet, preparing to fly home JJ curled up on the long narrow couch, with Rossi sitting at her feet reading. The rest of the team sat at the four top table. Hotch jotted down notes, as Morgan kept teasing Reid until he eventually lost his temper. Reid elbowed Morgan, causing Prentiss to scold them, "Boys! That is not how we behave on a plane."

"Okay, Mom!"

Hotch glanced up and caught the glare Prentiss was shooting at her partner.

Morgan smirked, "I am not afraid of you, Princess. Although, you are pretty badass. How did you learn to fight like that?"

"With my mother being an Ambassador, we always had highly trained security detail. I used to bug them to teach me self defense. I've been throwing grown men over my shoulder since I was twelve."

Reid nodded at her, "From what I could tell on the video, you used at least three different styles of martial arts including Judo. Did you know that jiu-jitsu is an…"

Morgan interrupted, "Video, what video?"

The urge to hum was too great, Hotch flipped over another document and hummed under his breath. Prentiss joined him, humming a little louder.

"Hey, that's the tune from the video." said Reid, "But I don't know the song."

Morgan dropped his head into his hands, muttering to himself something about "betrayal by Baby Girl."

A small giggle escaped from Prentiss before she covered her mouth, causing Hotch's mouth to twitch before he broke into a quiet laugh.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N:

\- The song is I'm Just a Girl by No Doubt

\- I have no idea how the FBI Academy works but we are going to assume that my imaginings are real. Good? Good!

\- Readers, please review. It makes my whole day when I get a review. I struggle with reviewing too - not knowing what to write or arguing with my mobile as it tries to auto-correct... Just a short note letting me know you are reading, enjoying, laughing, crying, etc.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Thanks to my amazing beta, Natzinoo.

 **Chapter 20**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next month went by in a blur. Garcia was shot, suspended, investigated and reinstated. JJ had to undergo an evaluation after she took down Garcia's attacker. The agents were all shaken after the standoff inside the bullpen with the deputy sheriff . The sheer nerve of strolling into the FBI building, Hotch shook his head at the thought.

"Then what?" Sean asked.

"JJ shot him through the glass doors. Got him right in the forehead."

"That's hot! Is she single?"

Hotch shoved his brother, "It's not hot! It was an amazing shot though."

They were hanging out at Sean's tiny New York City apartment. The team was on stand down after three back to back cases. Sean had reminded Hotch of a new transportation method called a "train", so he headed to New York for a few days.

Sean finished his slice of pizza and grabbed the box. He dropped a slice onto his plate and passed the box to Hotch, "Well, is she single?"

"She's not but even if she was…"

"Come on bro, I'm a catch!" Sean flashed his dimples at Hotch.

The next day, Hotch watched his brother in action. They arrived at the restaurant early in the morning to accept deliveries, and set the menu for the day. After three hours in the kitchen, Sean dragged Hotch to the gym.

"I like to take a break in middle of the day, work out, maybe take a nap if I'm hungover. When we get back at three, we will be working non stop until about 1:00 am."

Hotch was surprised, "I didn't realize how long your day is; do you always get down time in middle of the day?"

Laughing, Sean upped the speed on his treadmill, "Nope, we have to interview cooks, servers, and deal with workmen or vendors. John, the exec chef, and I wanna hire a manager but the owner is being a cheap ass."

They ran a few miles, chatting, before hitting the showers. Sean returned to the restaurant, giving his keys to Hotch. "Come by tonight about nine-ish and we can hang out."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch worked from Sean's apartment for the remainder of the day. Distracted, his thoughts moved away from the ' _Economic growth development and its statistical implications on annual conviction quotas'_ report and on to Sean. He was continually impressed with Sean's focus and dedication. After his brother had announced he wasn't going to law school, he had been furious. He was in awe of his brother. Sean managed every aspect of the restaurant, working long days and devoted his life to his job.

Both the Hotchner boys were striving to be the best. Hotch hadn't expected their father's demand for perfection to have carried through to Sean. He was only nine when their father had died. Perhaps this was Hotch's influence on Sean, passing through their father's expectations as he guided his younger brother. Hotch recalled the many letters and phone calls home from college encouraging Sean to be the best. He remembered Haley's gentle reminder that he was too hard on Sean when he had made him re-write essay after essay. Hotch had put unyielding pressure on his brother, the only difference between his style and his father's was the absence of the beatings.

By the time Sean joined Hotch at the bar of his restaurant, Hotch was drunk. The bartender tilted his head at the shot glasses lined up in front of Hotch. Sean returned to the kitchen and grabbed the evening's special.

"Eat up, Aaron."

The bartender placed rolled silverware and a glass of water in front of Hotch.

Dazed, he didn't argue. Placing the napkin in his lap, Hotch cleaned his plate and took a sip of water. Sean sat at his side, waiting.

"I'm going to fuck up Jack, just like I fucked you up, just like Dad fucked me up." Besides the rambling, his voice was as clear, coherent as if he had been sober.

Sean nodded to the bartender and then handed him Hotch's plate.

"Come on, Aaron, let's head back to my place."

Hotch stood and followed his brother out of the restaurant, walking steadily, evenly.

"You are the oddest drunk. You don't slur your words, you aren't stumbling over your feet. And yet you are hammered." said Sean.

Hotch didn't answer, following Sean into the cab and then into the apartment.

Sean guided him to the kitchen table, "Aaron, you didn't fuck me up. And you aren't going to mess up Jack either."

Shaking his head, Hotch slammed his hand on the wooden table. The sound echoing through the apartment. "I pushed you and pushed you and didn't let you pursue anything. I picked your college and your degree. Fuck, I made you take Latin and intern at law offices every summer when you were in high school. I even made you play basketball and baseball, I never asked if you liked them."

Sean called his name several times during his rant before raising his voice, "Aaron!"

Hotch stopped, and looked down at the wood grain on the table. He traced the lines and circled the knots with his finger. "I am sorry, Sean."

"Aaron, stop. You were just a teenager when Dad died. You raised me, you took care of Mom, of the house. You paid the bills. Yes, you pushed me to do my best. That's not a bad thing."

Sighing, Aaron dropped his head into hands, scrubbing at his face, "I didn't let you have a childhood."

"It was a better life than I would have had if Dad lived. Sad, isn't it? I had friends, I played ball, and for the record, I like baseball and basketball. Latin classes sucked but cause of interning, I had more money than any of my friends. I was able to buy a motorcycle." Sean laughed, "So, college sucked cause I didn't know what I wanted to pursue. Most college kids change majors at least once. When I figured out what I wanted and I went after it."

"I was furious with you for throwing away law school, your future."

Sean wandered into the kitchen, filled up two glasses with tap water. Returning to the table, he handed a glass to Hotch, "I know. I was angry with you even after we made up. But I was able to pursue my dream, and I didn't get beaten for it."

Hotch caught Sean's eye, and spoke softly, "I wouldn't have _ever_ let him get to you."

"I know."

"Today really opened my eyes. I am so proud of you."

Sean took a long sip of his water, "Thank you, Aaron. I can't tell you how much that means to me."

They sat together, drinking water and staring at the table top. Finally, Sean spoke, "You are an amazing father, Aaron. I watch you with Jack and it's so natural. I know you will let him, and even encourage him to pursue his own path."

Hotch nodded.

"Now, let's get you to bed, big brother. You are going to have one hell of a headache tomorrow."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Oh no, another sad chapter. But you guys made me happy with your reviews on the last chapter. Please review.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Thank you to Natzinoo for reading, editing, and collaborating.

 **Chapter 21**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

What do most people do when a divorce becomes final? Drinking at a bar, drinking alone, having sex with a total stranger, splurging on a new car… No, that last one was midlife crisis. Anyway, Hotch thought, he did not expect to be shooting a long range rifle when the call came in from his attorney.

Hotch put the rifle down, and answered his phone. It was all done. The judge approved the divorce with the spousal and child support agreements. His attorney recommended that Hotch have the Human Resources department change his payroll to direct deposit those amounts into Haley's bank account each month. Hotch thanked him and hung up. He would deal with HR next week.

He stood, feeling the sun warm his skin, and he took a breath. How did he feel? He wasn't angry or happy. Resigned, he was feeling resigned, with a hint of sadness. Dear God, he was melancholy. Not a good sign.

"You ready to lose?" A voice called from behind him.

Hotch turned to see Seeley Booth, FBI Agent and liaison with the Jeffersonian, approaching.

The FBI Section Chiefs had attended a leadership retreat, and decided to encourage inter-departmental cooperation through team building activities. There was a new event each week; from a city wide scavenger hunt (essentially doing their daily jobs, tracking down clues), a fun run (three-legged race around campus), obstacle course (for non field agents) and coming up tomorrow, a marksman contest.

"Seeley," Hotch shook his hand, both of them using a firm grip, "I never lose."

Seeley smirked, "Neither do I, Hotch. Neither do I."

The agents sent up their rifles and aimed for the targets. After a few shots, they took a look at the targets.

"Damn, Hotch. You are good."

Hotch was pleased with his grouping, two to the forehead and two to the heart, "Let's hope there isn't any wind tomorrow."

They laughed and chatted about the competition. There were six agents that would be considered potential competitors, one of which was out on a case. Their conversation veered off into interesting cases, as they set up again.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

It was the day of the competition. The agents would be going up in groups of four, and then they would be moved into the next bracket, before the best two agents would go head to head.

"Oh no," exclaimed Hotch when he turned around from setting up his rifle.

His team was standing behind the barricade and Garcia was holding up a large sign with the words: "HOTch STUFF." The letters were bold and covered in glitter, with the C and the H in Hotch in lower case letters. Essentially, the sign said Hot Stuff.

"Well, I have to go to HR on Monday anyway, might as well get it all over at once," Hotch told himself.

Eighteen agents competed throughout the morning, Hotch made it into to the top four before losing. Sure enough, Seeley Booth won. Hotch smiled as he watched Seeley's team from the Jeffersonian cheering him on.

"Oh man, Booth has a whole team of Spencer's and Penelope's," Morgan leaned over, "Come over to my house after this. I'm having a BBQ."

"I didn't see his team make a sign that would put them in sexual harassment training," Hotch answered dryly, "Thanks for the invite but I have Jack this afternoon."

"Even better! Prentiss is bringing her kids."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch drove to Haley's new townhouse. It was located in an older neighborhood, mostly retirees. Their house had sold quickly, surprising both of them. He felt like he could breathe a little easier, two rents did end up being a little less than the mortgage and rent on his place. They took the proceeds of the sale and split them, giving each of them a healthy savings account.

"Aaron, perfect timing. Jack just woke up from his nap."

Jack walked sleepily over to his father, his baby fine hair standing on end, "Dada!"

"Hi Buddy!" Hotch crouched down and hugged the boy, "You are so good at walking."

Haley puttered around the living room, straightening the throw pillows and picture frames, "He forgets he can walk sometimes. Or if he's walking too slowly, he will drop into a crawl and race around."

Hotch smiled at his son, and stood up, "Haley, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Aaron," a tight smile and wet eyes told another story.

He wanted to ask her what was wrong, to help her fix it, but they were beyond that point. She wouldn't be asking him for help. Hotch played with Jack for a few moments, swinging their hands together. "Are you sure? I don't want to pry."

"It's hard to adjust . We are divorced, officially. We live in different houses, and we don't talk about anything but Jack. I know we had problems but I miss talking to you."

Sitting down on the couch, Hotch pulled Jack up, arms outstretched, and plopped him on his lap. "I know, I want to talk to you all time but I hold back."

Haley sat on the other side of the couch, Jack hopping on his bottom between them, "We've been friends since we were sixteen. I know it's cliche but can we be friends?"

Hotch smiled, a genuine smile with dimples flashing and white teeth gleaming, "I would like that. Honestly, Haley."

"So Aaron, what's new with you? What have you been up to?"

Jack climbed back onto Hotch, poking his father with his fingers, "I visited Sean in New York. He runs that kitchen like a tight ship. He's doing well."

"Jess told me." Hotch raised an eyebrow at her statement, and Haley continued, "Apparently, they text about us a whole lot. They are worried."

"How about you, Haley? What have you been up to?"

"Now that I am all moved in, I have a little free time. I just had a job interview." Haley smiled, "It's a copy editor position. It's about ten hours a week, and I get to work from home."

Jack poked Hotch in the face, and Hotch pretended to eat his fingers causing Jack to scream gleefully. They repeated this a few times before Jack demanded to be put down.

"That's great. You aren't doing it for the money are you? I will support you." Hotch told her.

"No, no! I know you will, but it won't be forever, Aaron. I will work and support myself when Jack is older. This job would allow me to keep my skills up; besides I enjoy working."

"Good, then I am happy for you. When will you hear?"

"Next week, they said towards the end of the week. Now, what do you and Jack have planned for this weekend."

Hotch filled her in on the BBQ later that day, and a simple Sunday just hanging out, as she walked Hotch and Jack to the door. They parted ways, both feeling a bit lighter than when he had first arrived.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: I couldn't resist throwing in some Bones there… Mmmm Seeley Booth… This is not a cross over fic - it's just a bit of fun.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: A rockin' salute to my beta, Natzinoo!

 **Chapter 22**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch arrived at Morgan's house with Jack, and a diaper bag (a very manly one he told himself), only to lose Jack to JJ and Garcia. JJ took the diaper bag and dug through it, finding the sunscreen. Rossi handed Hotch a beer, and they stood watching the two blondes apply sunscreen on a wiggling, squirming child.

Morgan entered the room with his dog, Clooney, by his side. The German Shepherd stood at attention until Morgan told him to sit. Garcia carried Jack on her hip, and approached the agent and his dog. Jack squealed "Doggy" as Garcia sat down on the couch. Morgan gave a hand signal and Clooney approached Jack slowly.

"Hi Jack, wanna meet Clooney?" Morgan asked, "Hold out your hand and let him smell you."

Garcia helped Jack hold out his hand, and Clooney gave him a small lick. Jack laughed and Garcia helped him pet Clooney on the head, cooing, "Soft, soft, we pet the doggy soft."

Prentiss arrived with Liam and Declan moments later, and Morgan instructed the boys on how to greet the dog.

Liam let out a whoop, "Didja see me, Miss JJ? Clooney likes me."

JJ and Prentiss applied sunscreen to the older boys. Declan stood still, while Liam tried to rub the sunscreen in himself, declaring, "I can do it!" This effort left Liam with white streaks all over his face and arms.

Morgan led Liam and Declan to the backyard, where the large grassy area was set up with a small net and soccer ball. JJ and the older boys began to play ball with Clooney. Hotch and Garcia, who was still carrying Jack, followed closely behind.

Rossi and Prentiss remained in the house chatting and preparing the side dishes.

Morgan joined Hotch on the patio, and they took in the scene. "Everyone is happy! I'm going to fire up the grill. Come on."

Hotch poured the charcoal in, and Morgan doused it liberally with lighter fluid.

"Sweet heavens, handsome, are you planning on inviting the fire department? Firemen are super hot." commented Garcia. She had Jack on his feet, holding his hand, as he toddled around unevenly.

"Baby Girl, that's how you do it," Morgan flashed her a blindingly white smile, "Hotch, your kid is walking around like a drunk."

Prentiss and Rossi walked out of the house, joining them on the patio. Morgan dropped a match on the charcoal, and flames shot up. Garcia turned, shielding Jack, who loved the spectacle, clapping his tiny hands and saying "yay."

"All kids walk around like little drunken sailors when they learn to walk. I love their pot bellies hanging out." Prentiss told them as the group broke into laughter. Jack looked up at the grownups, wondering why they were laughing at him. He continued smiling and clapping his hands.

Smirking, Hotch snagged Jack's hand from Garcia and returned to the grass. Liam wandered over from the soccer game.

"Hi Mr. Hotch! Hi Jack!" Liam held out his hand for Jack to give him a slap.

Prentiss appeared with a tote bag, and Liam grabbed it out of her hands. "Liam!" She scolded.

He flashed his dimples at her, "Sorry, Mama."

Liam pulled out a bunch of dinosaurs, and handed one to Jack, "You can play with my Diplodocus."

Jack smashed the plastic toy into the grass several times, before putting the dinosaur's head in his mouth.

Liam lined up his dinosaurs, "Wanna play herbivores or carnivores? I'll be Allosarus and I will try to eat your dinosaur. And you make yours eat the grass. Okay?"

Jack gnawed on the toy as he watched Liam make his dinosaur stomp through the grass and growl. Jack giggle and waved his dinosaur at the older boy.

"Mama, look! Jack is playing with me."

Prentiss leaned down and rubbed Jack's hair, "Oh Hotch, he is so sweet."

The group hung out in the backyard for most of the afternoon. Morgan and Garcia worked the grill, and the innuendo. Hotch shook his head at them after Morgan offered to show her his "hot" dog.

Reid arrived, and was immediately drafted into playing dinosaurs with Jack and Liam. Rossi joined JJ and Declan in their soccer game.

"Emily, it's not even. It has to be even." Declan whined as he pulled on Prentiss' arm, "Please!"

She joined the soccer game so they could play boys versus girls, leaving Hotch to mind the three boys, counting Reid. The two teams ran, kicked, cheered, and wrestled. Rossi held Prentiss back allowing Declan to score as JJ yelled 'Foul'.

Clooney wandered over to the smaller boys and laid in the grass. Liam used the poor dog as a mountain for the dinosaurs to cross over. Reid moved over a bit, keeping his distance from the dog. Hotch sat in the grass and kept Jack from grasping at Clooney's fur too tightly.

The soccer game broke up, and Declan ran over to the boys, "Spencer!" Declan tackle hugged Reid, "I wanna play too."

The kids played with Reid and Hotch, as the remaining adults chatted and set up. Morgan unfolded chairs, and Garcia set up and lit the tiki torches. Prentiss and JJ set the table, while Rossi started pouring the wine.

Declan and Liam broke into song at one point, and Reid joined in. Singing, "I am a paleontologist. That's who I am, that's who I am, that's who I am." over and over again. Hotch's mouth dropped open watching the genius, with three doctorates, singing along to a children's song. Jack tried to sing with them, yelling "am," at random intervals.

With dinner ready, Prentiss corralled her boys to wash their hands inside. Hotch headed in to Morgan's guest room to change Jack. He returned to the kitchen where JJ was cutting up some food into tiny bites.

"Hotch, I cut up some strawberries and some chicken for Jack. Is that okay? He can chew meat, right?"

Most of the team settled outside at the patio table. JJ and Reid sat on a picnic blanket in the grass with the kids, Jack in JJ's arms. Hotch commented to Morgan that he couldn't believe Clooney didn't steal any food from the kids.

"He's well trained. He's a retired K-9 dog from a police buddy. Paul passed away from lung cancer two years ago, and I adopted Clooney from him."

Rossi refilled the wine glasses, and passed one to Prentiss, "So, Emily, did I hear Dr. Reid singing a children's song earlier."

Prentiss threw her head back and laughed, "Yup! The boys like kids songs, and I couldn't handle listening to Raffi or The Wiggles. I got a rocking album for kids. The band is They Might Be Giants."

"I loooooooove them, Em!" Garcia told the group, "Do you remember that awesome song _Istanbul, Not Constantinople_?"

Hotch nodded but the rest of the team looked blank.

"Anyway, they have rock songs for kids. Since Reid was car-pooling with us, he was subjected to the music. He loves it more than the boys." Prentiss smirked, "Ask him why the sun shines later."

The group laughed, and continued eating as the sun set. The tiki torches lit up the yard, everyone was relaxed and enjoying themselves. Hotch watched JJ chasing around the boys as Reid tried to clean up plates before they spilled. This was a good day.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: The band is They Might Be Giants and they have awesome songs for kids (and adults) like Why Does the Sun Shine and I am a Paleontologist.

And for the record, I love Raffi and the Wiggles (seen the latter in concert when Greg Wiggle ~yellow shirt~ was still with the band). But sometimes Moms need a little rock n roll.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Thanks Natzinoo for being a great Beta. Her recommendations, edits and encouragement make each chapter better.

 **Chapter 23**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Despite the concerning case, Hotch couldn't help feeling a bit excited at the prospect of seeing Kate Joyner again. He had told the team the truth, they had liaised when she was with Scotland Yard. Nothing more. He had been married then, but the attraction was there.

They were in the New York office, working on a task force with the New York City Police Department, Homeland Security, and the local FBI. Hotch sensed the team talking about him as he walked away with Kate. No doubt, they were speculating on their relationship.

Morgan was acting up, like a spoiled child. Prentiss was trying to diffuse tensions between the local police and the team. Hotch closed his eyes, and rubbed his fingers in circles around his temples.

"Tense?" Kate asked.

How was it possible that one word from her made him feel lighter? They had finished all they could for the day. All day, he had watched her in the meetings with the commissioner, mayor, and director of Homeland Security. She ran the show; confident and competent. He couldn't help notice that she crossed her legs as she talked on the phone. God, she had such long legs.

"Long day," he muttered.

Kate flashed him a heated look, "How about we end the day on a high note?"

Hotch gathered up his folders, placing them in his briefcase as she called her assistant with instructions for the morning briefing. "Was this really going to happen?" He asked himself.

He stepped out of her office as she was finishing her call, sending the team to the hotel, "Get some rest. Back here by 7 am."

Rossi raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to Kate's office.

Hotch shook his head lightly as not to attract more attention, but with his entire team being profilers, they all noticed. JJ didn't hide her amusement well, and Morgan glared at him.

Rossi shuffled them out, "Prentiss, have your cop friend recommend a place to eat. Reid, you head over with Morgan to pick up Garcia. JJ and I will finish up with Homeland Security, and meet you at the restaurant."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

He wanted to drive but he handed the keys off to Kate. She drove them to her apartment, their conversation stayed on the case, rather than the politics of the bureau, or their evening plans. Hotch was pleased with himself, keeping his eyes on the road, and off of her silky shirt with a hint of lace beneath.

Would he want more than one night? Did he want a relationship? Was this too soon? What did she want? Did Kate want a casual one night stand? Running through various scenarios in his mind, Hotch knew there would be no going back from tonight. He hadn't been with anyone other than Haley since college. He had been a little wild when they had taken a break for a year.

Kate let out a small laugh, startling him, "Aaron, stop thinking so hard."

"Ah, Kate." He paused as she reached over and grabbed his hand, before letting both their entwined hands drop on to his thigh.

"You are divorced, right? So, there are no problems here. We enjoy ourselves this evening, and more often if it works out. No strings, no relationships, no issues. Just a bit fun."

Hotch squeezed her hand, "Sounds perfect."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

He stepped in front to get the door for her, but the doorman was ahead of him.

"Thank you, Roy." She said.

Roy, the doorman, gave Hotch a hard look before nodding. He guessed he had Roy's approval.

Kate led him to the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, she advanced. Pushing Hotch against the wall, she gave him a hard kiss. Her mouth demanding, her hands pulling at his hair.

He dropped his briefcase and go bag, grasping at her tiny waist and pulling her up against his body. He groaned, and deepened the kiss.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Kate loosened her hold, and Hotch allowed her body to slide back down until her feet touched the ground. He picked up his bags and followed to her apartment door.

Inside, she flicked on the hallway light, and locked the door. She turned, and once again pushed him up against the wall again, shoving his suit jacket off his shoulders. It dropped to the ground and she stepped back.

"Secure your weapon," She said as she walked away, un-holstering her gun.

He removed his gun from his waist holster, and asked, "It that a euphemism for safe sex?" He reached down and grabbed his back up piece from the ankle holster.

She opened a small gun safe on her bookcase, and they deposited three guns. The door of the safe shut with a quiet snick, barely heard over her moans. Hotch was standing behind her, mouthing her neck, and moving down to her shoulders. His arms circled around her, his hands fumbling with the buttons down the front of her shirt.

The heat, the desire, the intensity; Hotch had forgotten how good it could be. They ended up on the floor of the living room, before moving to the hallway for the second round. After showering together, they ended up in her bed for round number three.

She fell asleep splayed out across his chest, her legs tangled with his. His hands roamed and caressed her back, arms, hips and stomach. He couldn't stop touching her. Finally falling asleep, Hotch thought he missed touching most of all.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next day, Hotch and Kate drove in together. Their demeanor was professional; not of lovers that stayed up half the night.

The day progressed into something awful. Hotch noted everything happening slowly, realizing things were getting out of hand. The case was becoming bigger with multiple shooters. Morgan was bordering on insubordination.

Hours later, another shooting and Morgan was angry. He had pissed off Hotch with his "all your focus is on her" comment. Livid, Hotch sent him out of the room. The worst part was that Hotch agreed with him on everything, until Morgan had crossed the line. Morgan's attitude, and disregard for the chain of command, did not showcase his ability to run an office.

Kate flashed a sad smile at Hotch after Morgan stormed out. No one was immune to being berated. Her assistant interrupted with lunch, allowing them to move past the uncomfortable moment.

Then Cooper, Prentiss' police partner, was shot. Hotch froze when he heard how close Prentiss had come to being killed. Cooper was in critical condition, the unsub was dead, and the profile had become more complex. After another meeting with the mayor, and the police were allowed to work over time.

More news came in as the team headed to the hotel for the evening. Will LaMontagne, Jr. was sitting in the lobby. JJ announced she was pregnant. Shocked, he didn't know how to react. He was hurt she didn't tell him but then again, she didn't tell anyone. It had taken over a year before she admitted to the team that she was in a relationship with Will.

He pulled her aside, "You could have told me."

JJ blinked tears away and he felt bad. She hugged him tight as he congratulated her, "I am happy for you. Will is a great guy."

Hotch led the team away to give JJ and Will some privacy. Sleep didn't come easy that evening.

"Maybe Morgan was right," he thought, as he contemplated if his night with Kate had clouded his judgement.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Day three in New York was better, and worse. Morgan had apologized to Kate, Cooper was in recovery, and the profile terrified them. Expecting bombings at locations all over New York City, Kate put the city on high alert, and ordered first responders to be held back.

The team scattered across the different boroughs to cover every possible target. Hotch walked Kate out as they headed to their meeting with the FBI director. She smiled at him, that cheeky little smile that made his heart race.

A moment later, the world ended.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: I played with the Season 3 Episode 20: Lo-Fi for my purposes. The timeline doesn't match the actual show. Some dialogue taken from the show.

Reviews are appreciated!


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Who loves cliffhangers? My Beta, Natzinoo, does…

 **Chapter 24**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Explosion, confusion, blinding pain, Kate. Kate was hurt. The kid was the unsub, and the EMTs were ordered not to help. Overwhelmed, Hotch tried focus on Kate but he simply couldn't. He was unable compartmentalize any of this. He was panicked and terrified.

Morgan went after the kid; an EMT finally broke through to help, and now Kate had a chance. She was rushed to surgery. Hotch could no longer hold himself up; crashing into the nurse's station.

Secret Service agents dead in elevator, Morgan driving off in ambulance rigged with a bomb, suicidal unsub, and God Damn It, Kate didn't make it!

Hurt, physical or emotional, he didn't know which was worse. It was simply hurt. The day ended, and a new one began. but still, he hurt. He was debriefed by the Secret Service; then by the section chief, the assistant director, and the director of the FBI.

He wasn't cleared for field duty; but he didn't care enough to fight his doctors and Strauss. Hotch called his brother.

"I should have know when New York City shuts down, it's your fault." Sean told him as he ushered him into the apartment.

Hotch couldn't even muster up a smile; sitting down heavily on the couch, dropping the go bag by his feet.

Sean disappeared into the kitchen, returning five minutes later with a cup of tea and a bowl of soup, "Eat, Aaron."

Hotch spooned the soup into his mouth mechanically. He finished and looked around, surprised that Sean wasn't standing over him. He laid his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes.

"Aaron, go take a shower. You can wear my clothes, I'm going to run your clothes to the laundry room downstairs. I have changed the sheets on the bed, I'll bunk out here." Sean ordered him, as he forcefully pulled Hotch off the couch.

On auto-pilot, Hotch showered and dressed in his brother's sweatpants and tshirt. He rubbed his damp hair with a towel, not bothering to comb it down. He went into Sean's bedroom and sat on the bed. He could hear Sean rummaging around in the apartment, doors opening and closing then silence.

Hotch was alone with his dark thoughts.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Sean had returned at some point and pushed Hotch down on the bed. He didn't bother with putting him under the covers. Closing the blinds, then the curtains, until the room was pitch black; Sean instructed Hotch to sleep.

Dumping Hotch's blood soaked clothes into the tub, Sean poured hydrogen peroxide over them, watching the blood float up into the water. He had taken his brother's go bag into the laundry room in the basement of the apartment building. But after pulling the clothes out of the plastic hospital bag, and seeing the blood, Sean rethought his plan. He decided to first pre-soak the clothes to get as much of the blood out as he could, before putting them into the washing machine.

Sean had never seen his brother like this. Not growing up, and not during his separation. He had seen him sad and dejected, but this, this was bad. It was a little scary.

Sean rinsed the clothes again, the pants were dark, the stains not noticeable. He poured more hydrogen peroxide over the white shirt, and watch the blood stains disappear like magic.

Hotch's cell phone vibrated on the coffee table, Sean went into the living room and looked at the display, 'David Rossi.'

"Hello Dave, this is Sean."

"Hello Sean, I am assuming Aaron is staying with you."

"Yeah, he showed up earlier this afternoon. He's in bad shape, Dave. What happened?" Sean asked his brother's mentor and friend.

Sean could hear Dave's hesitation, "Dave, what happened?"

"That SUV that blew up yesterday? That was his. He wasn't in it but close enough to be thrown from the explosion. He is bruised and battered. His hearing is really bad; he could end up with permanent hearing loss."

"Shit," muttered Sean as he paced around the living room.

Dave continued, "He lost a good friend. Her name was Kate Joyner. I am speculating here, but I think they were more than friends."

Running his hand through his shaggy blond hair, Sean sighed, "What do I do?"

"I think you just have to be there. He went to you instead of a hotel."

"Yeah, I am glad he came here. I'll keep an eye on him."

They hung up, and Sean snuck into his bedroom to look at Hotch. His older brother was asleep hunched over with his hands tightly gripping at the blanket beneath him. His SUV had blown up, his friend had died, and he may go deaf.

Sean decided to lay down beside him, putting his hand on Hotch's arm, in the hopes that his presence would allow his brother to relax.

Hotch mumbled, "Sean."

"I'm here, Aaron. Just sleep, I'll stay with you."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: I played with the Season 4 Episode 1: Mayhem for my purposes. The timeline doesn't match the actual show; Hotch doesn't return by car with Morgan.

Reviews are coveted and appreciated.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch stayed with Sean for three days, hanging around the apartment or the restaurant. Sean took Hotch's lead and didn't talk about the situation: explosions, Kate, or the hearing loss. He turned away when his brother clutched at his ears, giving him privacy.

Getting Hotch to relax was complicated. Food seemed to work, both at the restaurant or home. Sean had him taste test to determine if a dish should go on the new menu; they ended up with a special and two new appetizers.

At the apartment, Sean taught him two kid friendly recipes that could be whipped up quickly.

Hotch complained about his groceries going bad with his hectic travel schedule; Sean encouraged him to cook several dishes at one time, and then freeze them for later.

Hotch called Haley and gave her very little details, as Sean listened in from the other room. "I'm okay, yes. Having a little problem with my ears so I can't fly for a few days. Mm, yes. Fine. Can I talk to Jack?"

Hearing Jack on the phone was hysterically funny. Hotch joined Sean in the living room, and put the call on speakerphone. Jack was babbling incoherently for a good ten minutes. Finally, Haley took the phone away, telling them that Jack had walked around the house while pointing out different items as he spoke.

Hotch was finally cleared by the doctor for desk duty, it would be at least two weeks before he could be in the field.

He returned to the apartment to pack up his stuff. He had been wearing Sean's clothes so he ran those through the laundry. Hotch packed his blood free pants and shirt into his go-bag. While he truly appreciated Sean's efforts and consideration in cleaning his clothes, he planned on throwing them away as soon as he got home. He had already lost the jacket at the scene, he didn't need additional reminders of that evening.

Hotch folded Sean's clothes and put them in the dresser. He changed the sheets and made the bed. Running the vacuum, emptying the dishwasher, a quick swipe with a rag, and Sean's small apartment was clean.

He took a taxi to the FBI field office, and checked out a car. This had always amused him. The FBI allowed you to check out a car, gun, or a rifle, as easily as a citizen was able to go to the library and check out a book. Before he left, Hotch cut across town to Sean's restaurant to say his goodbyes.

"I really appreciate you letting me stay, Sean."

Sean wiped his hands on the white apron wrapped around his waist, and held out his hand. The brothers shook.

"Anytime Aaron, anytime. Um, hey, if you ever want to talk about this or Kate, I'm around."

Hotch held his gaze, trying to hold back the hurt at hearing her name, "Thanks, Sean. Really."

"You driving back yourself? Did you rent a car?"

Glad for the change in topic, Hotch smirked, "I checked out a car from the field office."

Sean's eyes widened, "They just let you check out a car? What kind? Do they have sports cars?"

"Chevy Impala."

"Lame. Have a good drive down."

They shook hands again, and Hotch headed out the door.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A few hours later, Hotch was pulling up in front of Haley's townhouse. Haley didn't hover as he played with Jack until it was time for his nap.

"Are you okay, Aaron?"

He could see she was holding her arms stiff at her sides, fighting the urge to touch him.

"Just a few cuts and bruises. I have some hearing damage, but the doctor believes it will heal with time."

"That's good." Haley handed him her digital camera, "Watch this! It's Jack's side of the conversation from your call the other day."

Hotch hit play on the video and watched his son walking around with Haley's phone in his hands. The boy talked as he walked around the living room on unsteady feet. It looked like he was explaining what he was seeing, picking up items or pointing at things.

"That call got a good laugh out of Sean and I." Hotch told her, "You should send Sean the video."

"Yeah? You think so?"

Hotch nodded, handing her back her camera.

"I will be on desk duty for a week or so, do you mind if I take Jack a few evenings?"

They planned out the week and chatted about Haley's new job before Hotch headed home.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch sent the team to Seattle on a case while he stayed behind. He checked in on the case a few times, but mostly he caught up on the reports, vacation requests, and employee evaluations.

His dry cleaning was dropped off, groceries purchased, and he had made three meals to put in the freezer. However, it still wasn't enough to keep his mind off of Kate. He wanted to put it behind him, to move on, but the memories of holding her in the streets were haunting him.

He picked up Jack one night, leaving the office at 5:30 pm. Hotch played with him, fed him, bathed him, before putting the toddler to bed. The morning routine was slower, Hotch struggled to get both Jack and himself ready. By the time he had dropped Jack off with Haley, he was running late for work.

He walked into the bull pen as Garcia came out of the break room with her coffee, "Sir, I can't believe I beat you in."

"Sorry, I am late. Any news from the team?"

Garcia waggled her fingers at him, "Sir, office hours are 9:00 to 5:00. It's only 8:15. And the team is probably sleeping. They are on Pacific Time, Bossman."

As she headed for her lair, he could have sworn she said something about Morgan being in the shower. Shaking his head, he grabbed a cup of coffee before escaping to his office.

Meetings filled his morning so it was near lunch time before he had a chance to check in on the team. Dave informed him that a rookie cop identified the unsub after the profile was delivered. The unsub had inserted himself into the case as a witness. Morgan and Prentiss were going to handle the confession, and team would hopefully be returning that night.

That afternoon, Hotch's thoughts kept drifting during the human resources meeting on exempt versus nonexempt employees. He wished he was out in the field as cases required his full attention.

Calling it a day, he returned home and poured himself a generous glass of scotch.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Alternate timeline to Season 4

Thanks to Natzinoo for Betaing. If you have a chance, check out her story, Forever a Family. I have dubbed her the Queen of CliffHangers.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Thanks for reading, reviewing and adding the story to your Favorites. And thanks to Natzinoo for being a grrrrreat Beta!

 **Chapter 26**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch couldn't take it anymore. If he attended one more meeting with Accounting regarding expenses under ten dollars, or with Human Resources on updating the employee handbook, he would become a Workplace Shooter. When the Angel Maker case came up, he decided to go out in the field with the team.

Takeoff was painful, but Reid's ramblings about evil and eviler twins distracted the team. It was unbearable agony at the graveside when they unearthed the coffin. Prentiss had followed him, grabbing at his arms, and trying to hold him. Hotch was mortified. She walked away, but he could feel her eyes on him the rest of the day.

When the team returned to the hotel that night, Hotch unpacked his go bag. He ironed the clothes before hanging them up, placed his underclothes in drawers, and lined up toiletries in the bathroom. He had just pulled out the case file when there was a knock at his door. He had expected this after incident at the cemetery, but he thought it would be Prentiss coming to check on him. Instead, Dave Rossi was on the other side of the door.

"Dave?"

The older agent held up a bottle of scotch and plastic cups. Hotch swung the door open wider and stepped back to let him in.

Dave went to the dresser and placed the glasses on top, pouring out the amber liquid. He handed him a cup and grabbed the case file from the bed, before settling in the narrow arm chair.

Hotch took a big sip from his cup, and then refilled it to the halfway mark. Dave read quietly, his cup still half full.

"Might as well get comfortable," Hotch thought as he sat on the bed, using the headboard as a back rest.

"Let's not drag this out. I was not cleared for field duty." Hotch said.

Dave put the document back in the folder, and placed it in his lap, "I know. After today, I don't think you will disregard the doctor's orders again." He took a small sip and locked eyes with Hotch, "I was wondering if you wanted to talk about Kate."

Hotch looked away, rubbing at his temple. He started to take a drink but put the cup on the nightstand. "We just had one night together. It wasn't a relationship."

"Ha," Dave exclaimed, "You were friends for years. Just because you were intimate once, doesn't mean you didn't have some kind of a relationship."

Hotch nodded stiffly and Dave continued, "It's okay to mourn her. There was nothing you could have done."

"If I had just…"

Dave interrupted, "Aaron, you couldn't have saved her. Even if she was transported immediately, her injuries were too severe."

Inhaling slowly through his nose, Hotch blew the breath out just as slowly, "I know, but I keep replaying things I could have done differently."

"You lost a good friend."

A small smile briefly appeared on his face, "She was amazing."

Raising his glass, Dave toasted, "To Kate Joyner."

"To Kate!"

The men sipped at their drinks quietly.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

In the few days it took to close the case, the team grew close to the sheriff and his wife. Hotch enjoyed the home cooked meals and the long conversations about small town living. Throughout the stay, Hotch was surprised that Prentiss hadn't approached him about the incident, or hadn't asked if he was okay. Instead, she mother henned him in other ways; making sure they had Ranch dressing for his salad (a guilty pleasure that he didn't think anyone had picked up on), making the coffee with a heavier hand, and reordering the case files by importance, rather than chronologically, (Reid's preferred method).

Hotch was pleased that she didn't try to treat him like an invalid. She showed him her care and concern without coddling him.

As the case closed, Hotch still couldn't get over how a person could place a decomposing body in a nursery. He had a feeling this would be on his mind quite a bit as he drove the eight hours home. Perhaps it was a good thing that he had other things on his mind, as it allowed him to think about something other than losing Kate.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Episode referenced Season 4, Episode 2: The Angel Maker

Note to Guest Reviewer: I did warn "eventual Hotch/Prentiss pairing" in my summary, heavy emphasis on eventual. I know it's taking some time but I am trying to develop their relationship from boss / subordinate to friends to couple.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch was fully adjusted to living on his own. He spent time with Jack, cycling, and cooking. Things were going well at work. JJ's pregnancy, and Reid's fascination with said pregnancy, made him smile a few times. The team had a few cases with positive outcomes, and Strauss had not demanded his presence at internal meetings for several weeks. The heavy darkness that had been surrounding him since the divorce, and up until losing Kate, had slowly faded.

He joined the team at Happy Hour at a nearby bar. First round was a sugary fizzy concoction of Garcia's (alcohol free), so everyone could toast to "the totally the most awesome team, like ever." Hotch smirked, remembering meeting Garcia for the first time. The Black Queen. And now, she was acting like a California Valley Girl.

After the diabetes inducing drink, only Reid and JJ were sticking with non-alcoholic beverages. Two more rounds and tequila shots, Garcia was sliding down the booth until her head was barely visible above the table. Morgan helped Kevin carry her out to the car, as Prentiss argued with Reid about Liam's upcoming birthday party.

Hotch took a long pull of his beer, and checked in on JJ, "How are you?"

"I'm having fun. Poor Kevin is going to have his hands full tonight."

Shaking his head at the image of Kevin trying to put a drunk Garcia to bed, he said, "They have been dating a few months now, right?"

"Geek Love!" JJ exclaimed, her eyes bright, "They are so good together."

Nodding, he drank his beer as JJ chattered on about the eccentric couple. Morgan returned and joined the conversation, "He takes good care of my Baby Girl."

Prentiss announced that she needed to head out, "Early flight tomorrow. Come on, Spencer!"

The young genius stumbled as Morgan pushed him out of the booth. He swatted at the large man, but Morgan blocked his slap.

"I hate flying commercial," Reid complained, "Commercial planes are not sanitized after each flight. There are an average of 200 people per flight on a passenger plane, like the Boeing 767. Do you know the plane's ventilation system does not filter..."

Prentiss hooked her arm around Reid's, "Come on, Spencer!"

The group laughed as she guided him out of the bar.

Finishing his beer, Hotch placed some cash on the table, "I'm heading out."

JJ indicated she was ready, and he offered to escort her to the car. Morgan threw a few bills down and walked out with them.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next afternoon, Hotch was on the phone with Academy director when he heard Morgan shouting in the bullpen. Dropping the handset, he ran out into the walkway where the other agents were watching a breaking news report.

Prentiss and Reid were undercover in a religious compound currently under siege by state police. Phones began to ring around the bullpen, and he shouted out instructions before ducking into his office for his go bag.

It was a tense plane ride, and long drive through the desert, before the remaining members of the BAU arrived on the outskirts of the compound. After threatening the state attorney general and sending him away, although he was completely justified, Hotch knew he was out of control. The whole situation had him on edge. He was scared; scared enough to know he wouldn't be able to negotiate. Convincing Dave to handle the hostage negotiations was tough enough, but it was the best decision he could make. One positive note in this horrid situation, was that he trusted the ATF team assigned to them.

Hours of research, interviews, and negotiations led to a horrific moment when JJ ran over, frantic. The media had run a story, stating that there was an undercover FBI agent inside the compound. Hotch was no longer confident that this would end with minimal loss of life.

The worst case scenario was happening; Prentiss identified herself as FBI. That bastard, Cyrus, beat and kicked her. And her only response to the brutality was to reassure her team that she could handle the beating. Hotch was freaking out. He and Morgan were ready to storm the compound, but Dave calmed them down.

"How in the world could Dave remain detached?" Hotch thought to himself.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The standoff ended with explosions. Hotch watched as Prentiss searched for Reid in the smoke that was billowing out of the building. She embraced him, holding him close. Hotch assumed she was telling him not to worry, that she was okay.

Hotch debriefed Reid in the ambulance, before sending him to the hotel with Morgan. He watched as Dave spoke with Emily, his arm around her, convincing her to lay back on the stretcher for the ride to the hospital. His stomach clenched; she was his responsibility. He wanted to be the one to comfort and take care of her. Hotch understood how difficult this had been for Dave; the experienced agent had maintained his objectivity throughout the case and now, he was allowing himself to feel. Dave needed this, Hotch reasoned, Dave needed to be the one to take Emily to the hospital.

JJ issued a quick statement to the media regarding the conclusion of the case; 'tragic with several causalities on both sides, but they had managed to save a majority of the people in the compound.' She thanked the ATF, and sheriff's department for their assistance. JJ gave condolences to the state police, and the department of social services for their losses.

Hotch was always impressed with JJ's skill at guiding the media in the direction she wanted. He was even more impressed today. She was brilliant. She managed to snub the Colorado Attorney General, and diminish the role of the state police.

Hotch finished up with the ATF leader, Dan Torres, making a mental note to follow up with Torres' commander regarding the solid service his team had provided. Hotch turned over the remainder of the case and clean up to the local sheriff's office. He placed a call to Strauss to update her on the situation. She agreed with his plan to inform the US Attorney General regarding the state attorney's behavior.

He glanced around the command center, seeing nothing left from his team, Hotch nodded to JJ.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her as he took her bag, and escorted her to the SUV.

Groaning, JJ rubbed at her belly, "Baby wants Chinese food. Do you think it's possible that they have a Chinese restaurants in town?

This drew a harsh laugh from Hotch, "Multi-day stand off with a cult, multiple agencies, pissing matches, media storm, automatic weapons, and dynamite; and you want Chinese?"

He opened the door and steadied JJ as she climbed into the SUV. Once she was settled, she smacked his arm, "I don't want Chinese; the baby does."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Episode Referenced is Season 4, Episode 3: Minimal Loss - The cult in Colorado (with Luke Perry as the UNSUB).

Thanks to Natzinoo for her support and endless patience.

Reviews are truly appreciated.


	28. Chapter 28

Thanks to my wonderful beta, Natzinoo!

 **Chapter 28**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch and JJ joined Reid and Morgan at the hotel. Morgan's room had been nominated as the team's hangout, because it was a suite that took up the top floor of the small hotel, with a full living and dining rooms attached. JJ called Garcia to find out the "411" on the food in town, while Hotch called Dave to get an update on Prentiss. They were still waiting to see the doctor; Dave assured him, "Not to worry as Dr. Prentiss is fully qualified to diagnose herself, and she prescribed herself 400 mg of ibuprofen."

After waiting for him to shower, Morgan was now standing in the bathroom with a shirtless Reid, attempting to wrap up his ribs in a pressure bandage. The sounds similar to an angry cat could be heard through the door, followed by a baritone voice, "Quit slapping me, Pretty Boy!"

Reid exited the bathroom, pulling his shirt over his head. Morgan came out and threw him a towel before returning the bathroom to take his own shower. Rubbing the towel on his long wet hair, Reid pouted at JJ and Hotch, "He treats me like a kid."

"Spence, he treats you like his little brother. Emily on the other hand…" JJ told him, "Now, our dinner options are fried chicken,"

Reid interrupted, "No more fried chicken!"

"Fried chicken, meatloaf or turkey dinner from the diner, Mexican, and get this, Vietnamese food." JJ continued as if Reid hadn't spoken.

Hotch raised an eyebrow at her, "The town has one street with three restaurants, in the Colorado desert, and it has a Vietnamese restaurant?"

She shrugged, pulling a notebook out of her bag. She began writing a list, "Two orders of Spring Rolls, two pork rice noodle bowls and one lemongrass chicken," she paused, "That's Emily, Rossi, and my orders. Hotch - I am guessing you want lemongrass chicken too. Morgan will want a combo rice bowl. Spence, Garcia said they have Pho."

Reid requested the pho tai, and crispy egg rolls. Morgan popped out of the bathroom, "Another order of those crispy egg rolls."

JJ placed the order, and offered the kid an extra twenty if he delivered to their hotel room, so that no one would have to drive into town.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

An hour and a half later, Prentiss and Dave joined them. She had massive bruising to her body, two cracked ribs, and three cuts that needed stitches.

She nodded at their concern, announcing, "I'm fine. Hungry, actually, no, starving!" Drawing out the last word as she walked to the dining table. Luckily, both their meals were still good at room temperature.

The team chatted as Prentiss and Dave ate. They kept the conversation away from the case. After another hour, the team returned to their own rooms.

Hotch undressed and folded his dirty clothes neatly, before placing them in his go bag. He showered, brushed teeth, and put on his pajamas; sleep pants and a plain white t-shirt. Packing would be easy in the morning, he only had one outfit left in the closet, and his toiletries. Everything else was tucked away in his bag.

Pacing the organized room, he reviewed his mental to do list. Most of the follow up work would be done by phone or email, but he knew the Attorney General mess would lead to several meetings.

Finishing his mental list, he thought about Prentiss and Reid. They were close, closer than ever. Prentiss putting herself in danger to protect him, was something Hotch knew would haunt the young man. His team; they were the best at what they do. A cohesive team that could face anything. He had never been on a team like this during his entire career.

Recalling how JJ knew all their orders (not just Vietnamese but any restaurant), Morgan offering to strap Prentiss' ribs ( he had said that he was "experienced" as Reid threw a crumpled napkin at him), Dave doling out pain meds to Prentiss, and making her take them in front of him, "no need to be in pain all night." They were more than a team, they were family.

Hearing a door close in the hallway brought him out of his musings. He strode to the door and looked through the peephole; seeing Prentiss walking down the hall in her pajamas. Hotch opened his door, "Ok there, Prentiss?"

She turned around to face him, "Couldn't sleep, and there isn't a gym. I thought I would walk the hallways until I got tired."

Glancing down the hallway, Hotch opened his door further, "The hallway isn't that long. Want to come in and talk?"

Entering his room, Prentiss stopped at his dresser and dropped off her key and gun, the latter previously resting in the waistband of her yoga pants covered by her orange, 'Orange Crush' t-shirt. Haley had educated him on the differences between pajama pants, sweat pants, track pants, and yoga pants. Her hair was pulled into a low ponytail and her face scrubbed clean; the bruises and swelling discoloring her ivory skin.

"You couldn't sleep either?"

"I was pacing in here; perhaps I should have tried pacing the hallway." He told her.

She settled herself into the armchair, pulling her feet up and wrapping her arms around her knees, "I keep thinking about Jessie. Even if there hadn't been a stand off, I don't think I would have been able to save her from Cyrus."

Hotch sat in the other chair, crossing his plaid covered legs, "Reid said she had been there since she was two?"

"Yes."

"That's twelve years of brainwashing, and no outside influence. Her own mother would not have been able to save her." Hotch told her. He watched her blink a few times before she closed her eyes.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, mulling over the fate of a young girl.

"Thanks, Hotch." Prentiss said quietly.

Tilting his head, he looked at her quizzically, "For?"

Her expression softened, "Just listening. It helps."

"Prentiss, you can talk to me about anything. I am always available."

She nodded, "It's not easy for me to talk about my, well, my anything."

Chuckling, he said, "You do hold things close to the vest, more than most. A good example being you not telling us you had a child."

Her arms loosened, and she dropped her legs back down. "You are never going to let that go, are you?"

Hotch laughed, "You lied for six months."

"I didn't lie, I just didn't tell you." Prentiss' face was considerably brighter than when she arrived, "You and Jack will come to Liam's party, right? Spencer is building a working volcano."

"Should I be worried about Jack's safety?"

"Oh no, it's going to erupt chocolate sauce, lukewarm chocolate sauce. Although, he did want to turn the patio into a tar pit."

They continued talking about Liam and Jack for a few minutes before the conversation hit a comfortable lull.

Standing up, she headed for the dresser, "I think I can sleep now."

She grabbed her gun, placing it back in her waistband along the small of her back, and took her room key.

"Good night," Hotch stood and walked her to the door, watching her as she walked the short distance to her room. After closing his own door quietly, he climbed into bed. He couldn't stop thinking about Prentiss. She was smart, strong, compassionate and beautiful. His mind wandered to that small sliver of skin that showed when she had put her gun away.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N:

400 mg of ibuprofen = 2 Advil. IMHO, the perfect amount for a headache. Not enough to help soreness from a beating.

Still on Season 4, Episode 3 - Jessie is the 14 yr old from Minimal Loss episode, who was married to Cyrus.

This was one of my favorite chapters to write.


	29. Chapter 29

Thanks to rmpcmfan for snagging the 100th review. And thanks to all the readers! I appreciate each and every follow and review.

Chapter 29

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch arrived at Liam's birthday party with Jack in his arms, the one year old clutching a gift wrapped box in his hands. The door flew open before Hotch had the chance to ring the bell.

"Mr. Hotchner, Jack, Hi," Declan answered the door, and welcomed them inside.

"It's a dinosaur party!" Declan told them as he ushered them into the house.

There were some balloons and streamers in the living room. Louise popped her head out of the kitchen to say hello, and Hotch joined her as Jack squirmed to get down.

Hotch placed Jack on the floor, and Declan offered up his hand to the small boy. Jack grabbed his hand, but with the large present, he tipped to the side. Hotch corrected Jack's stance as Declan grabbed the present.

"Come on, Jack. I'll show you where the present goes."

Declan and Hotch led Jack to the gift table, then Declan grabbed Jack's hand again as they walked around.

"Jack, wanna be a dinosaur?" Declan asked him.

"Ya!"

Hotch helped Declan put the T-Rex foam hat on Jack's head, tightening the strap so the hat wouldn't fall off. Prentiss came downstairs with Liam; he was already wearing his hat.

"Roar!" Liam yelled at Declan and Jack. The boys roared back at him.

Liam roared again, "Look Jack Jack, Imma T-Rex like you. Hi Mr. Hotch. I'm three today!"

"Hello Liam. Happy birthday."

"Rawr, grrawar." He started as Declan and Jack joined in. The youngest one clapping his hands.

Prentiss ushered them outside, "Can you boys go see what Spencer is doing?"

Jack tried to follow the older boys, darting past Hotch, but Prentiss caught him before he left the room, and flipped him upside down.

"Hello Mr. Jack!" Prentiss tickled him while he giggled, and thumped his feet against her chest.

She looked over her shoulder as she headed into the kitchen, "Come on, Hotch. I need some liquid courage before I look in the backyard."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Louise met them with two bottles of beer. Handing them to Hotch, she took Jack from Prentiss, "Are you a wee little dino?"

Prentiss took a beer from him, and took a long sip, "No amount of alcohol will help. Louise, what's left?"

"Shall we set the table? Then we can tackle the volcano fixings."

"Rawr," Jack said as he pulled on Louise's shirt.

Laughing, Prentiss said to Hotch, "I think he's looking for the boys. Want to head out?"

Hotch took Jack, and headed through the kitchen to the backyard. The yard had not been divided when the brownstone was converted into two units. The large yard had a concrete patio area, with a majority of the space dedicated to a green lawn with shrubbery and trees around the border.

He found Reid giving instructions to the older boys, while he hung a giant pterodactyl from a clear fishing line. Declan ran off and grabbed a bag of sand from the side of the house, as Liam headed to the patio to separate buckets and shovels.

"Hey Reid!"

"Hotch, I am glad you are here. Can you give me a hand? Setting up the pulley system is a two person job."

"Down, Dada, down." Hotch put Jack down and he ran over to Declan. Liam joined them with a handful of shovels, and the three boys shoveled the sand from the bag and into the square sandbox.

For the next thirty minutes, Reid directed Hotch as they set up what would only be described as an elaborate zip line for a dinosaur shaped pinata.

"Okay, boys, everyone inside while Hotch and I finish everything." Reid told them.

Hotch followed the boys and made sure Jack made it inside where Louise picked him up. Returning to the backyard, he was put in charge of setting up a nest with large eggs, and hiding several dinosaur toys throughout the yard as Reid buried a dinosaur skeleton in the sand box.

A few minutes later, he joined Reid at the sandbox. Hotch watched as the young genius methodically laid out each bone. "You're really enjoying this."

"I do! We involved the boys in the planning, and we just made their ideas happen. Although, I am disappointed that Emily didn't allow us to set up a tar pit."

Hotch smiled at his excitement. Reid placed the final bone, and began spreading sand lightly over the skeleton. Hotch went to the side of the house to grab the remaining bags of sand.

The back door opened, and Morgan stepped out with another man. Morgan took over Hotch's duties as the two men exchanged pleasantries.

"Professor, it's nice to see you again."

Professor William Prentiss, Prentiss' father, looked the same as the last time Hotch had seen him, over fifteen years prior. The literature professor stood an inch or so shorter than Hotch with salt and pepper hair, and deeply set laugh lines around his mouth and eyes.

"Agent Hotchner, I heard you were running the BAU. I couldn't believe it when Em told me you were her boss. Small world, eh?" They shook hands and Hotch turned, gesturing to Reid.

"Professor, this is Dr. Spencer..." Hotch started to say but he was interrupted.

"You can call me William." He said to Hotch, "And I know Spencer quite well."

The professor stepped forward and grabbed a bag of sand, joining the group.

Reid leveled, and smoothed, the top of the sand before stepping back, speaking curtly, "William."

William threw his head back and laughed, startling Morgan and Hotch, "Come on, Spencer. It was just a joke."

Exchanging looks, the two senior agents turned back to Reid. He ignored them, and began picking up the empty plastic bags. He stomped off to the trash can set up near the door, shoving the bags in, and going inside the house.

"What did you do? I have never gotten him that riled up." Morgan exclaimed.

Biting his lip to keep from laughing out loud, William shook his head.

The back door opened, Prentiss walked out with Declan. The boy ran to William who enveloped him into a hug.

"Declan, can you please put the brushes in the buckets?" She handed a bag of paint brushes to him before turning to her father, "Again, Dad? You need to apologize."

William ducked his head a bit, and Prentiss pushed him towards the door. She turned to Morgan and Hotch, "Weclome to my family."

"Princess, what did your dad do?"

Shaking her head, Prentiss sat down in a patio chair and laughed, "My dad is a literature professor, so people often ask him for book recommendations. He amuses himself by recommending books that will irritate the person the most, like The Da Vinci Code to hard core Catholics."

Hotch chuckled as he sat down, "What did he recommend to Reid?"

"Twilight series; he even gave him all four books."

Morgan started laughing, his hand slapping the table, "Aw man, sparkly vampires."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: My favorite portrayal of Emily's Dad is in the Sienna27 Girl Universe stories, he's a badass CIA agent. Hope you like my jokester professor.

Big Thanks to Natzinoo for being a great friend and Beta.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: A continuation of Liam's Birthday. Look at this ~ two chapters posted back to back. How awesome is that?**

 **A shout out to Natzinoo! She is the bestest beta around. And if she was editing this Author's Note, she would say Bestest isn't a word.**

 **Chapter 30**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

JJ came outside, carrying Jack, "Hotch, does this T-Rex belong to you?"

"Dada! Roar!" Jack said as he leaped out of JJ's arms, and into his father's.

Leaning in, JJ whispered, "Louise just changed him so he's all set."

Raising her voice, JJ told Prentiss, "Em, your Dad and Reid are arguing over the volcano. Louise locked them in the laundry room."

Prentiss threw her hands up in frustration, before running inside sidestepping the children.

Declan and Liam were joined by three other kids. Declan, the oldest, told them to line up. Declan pointed to Jack, "He is really little. You hafta be careful with him."

He handed each kid a laminated sheet of paper, and said, "We hafta explore and find everything on this list. Kay?"

The kids took off, running around the yard. Declan walked over to the adults, and asked politely, "Mr. Hotchner, can I help Jack find everything?"

Hotch let Jack down and Declan took his hand, showing him the colorful list.

JJ and Morgan's smiles widened as Hotch followed the boys around the yard, searching for dinosaurs.

The back door opened again, and more adults joined the party in the backyard, including the parents of the other children. The kids found everything hidden around the yard, and Reid was leading them in an excavation in the sandbox.

Hotch returned to the patio, watching his son dig in the sand with a shovel and bucket, oblivious to the five other kids using paint brushes to clean off the skeleton. He turned to Louise, "That's some boy you have there."

"Declan has a tender heart. He adores your Jack."

The party continued for another hour, kids eating, running, shouting. Hotch grew a bit dizzy while trying to keep an eye on Jack who was loving the craziness.

Morgan, Reid, and William brought out a giant volcano on a large plank of wood. After setting it up on the patio table, Reid ran the bright orange extension cord back into the house. Louise and Garcia brought out platters of cut up food and popsicle sticks; it was volcano time.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The adult conversations tapered off as they all watched the volcano setup. Reid nodded to Prentiss, and she called out to the kids. Laughing and playing, the kids didn't notice when she clapped her hands, or her feeble attempt at a whistle.

Morgan brought his fingers to his mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle, startling everyone. Hotch shook his head as the sound echoed around until it was a low buzzing noise.

Liam looked around and noticed the volcano, and began screeching at the top of his lungs. The kids joined him in rushing to the patio, causing JJ and Garcia to jump of the way. One of the mothers pulled her child aside, "Claire, no more yelling."

Louise and Prentiss skewered large marshmallows on popsicle sticks, and Prentiss told the kids, "We are going to sing Happy Birthday, THEN you can dip your marshmallows in the lava. Got it?"

"Yah," the children agreed, and each received a stick.

Prentiss cued the group into song, and Liam's face lit up as everyone sang to him. At the end of the song, Reid hit a button and the sounds of a dull motor came from the volcano. The children crowded around the patio table with expectant faces. White smoke trailed out of the top, then started pouring out in large puffs.

Hotch watched Reid's face as he worked the remote control. His eyes locked on Liam, his eyes sparkling as he hit another button. A chugging sound led to a fountain of chocolate to burst from the top, splashing a little, before rivers of warm chocolate poured down the sides of the volcano. Liam's eyes were big, and his smile spread until it took over his entire face, "Wow!"

Everyone cheered and clapped as the kids dipped their marshmallow sticks, and in a few cases, their entire hands into the chocolate. Prentiss handed out more sticks with slices of banana, strawberries, or pineapples to everyone; as parents tried to wipe down sticky hands and faces.

The party continued into the late afternoon, culminating in the tricky Pterodactyl pinata that zipped around the yard. One by one, Morgan carried each child on his shoulders as they chased it, trying to get in a hit.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	31. Chapter 31

Beta'd by Natzinoo... She rocks!

 **Chapter 31**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"She's stacked, Aaron. Like really stacked."

Hotch rolled his eyes, as his brother filled him in on the pastry chef he met the week before.

"So anyway, she turned me down when I asked her on a date.."

"You mean a hook up?" Hotch clarified.

"Well, uh, yeah. But who could turn down a Hotchner? We are Hot. It says so in our name."

Shaking his head, Hotch replied, "Please tell me you didn't say that to her."

Sean's rich laugh came through the phone, "Yeah, she rolled her eyes at me. But I finally wore her down. She agreed to grab coffee with me today after her shift. Pastry chef hours seriously suck, though."

The brothers talked for awhile before JJ popped her head into Hotch's office, holding up a file.

Hotch nodded at her, and signed off with Sean, "Be a gentleman for once."

"Yeah yeah, later Aaron."

The case JJ brought to them was a kidnapped child, similar to a recent kidnapping, and murder of a boy in Las Vegas. The urgency of the situation led the team to abandon the case review in the office, opting to do it in flight.

They rushed around the bullpen grabbing phones, tablets, and go bags. In the elevator, Prentiss called Louise, and JJ called Will.

Hotch clenched his hand around his phone; he would normally call Haley, but that ingrained habit needed to be replaced. He texted her instead, " _Have to cancel 2nite w Jack. Case out of state, will call 2nite."_

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The case was hard, as all cases involving children were, Hotch thought. But there was something here that was eating at Reid. When the case finished, and the child was reunited with his family, Hotch flew home without half his team. Dave and Morgan had requested to stay behind to help Reid dig into his past memories.

Prentiss and JJ chattered non stop about pregnancy during the flight home, as Hotch wrote up his case notes.

"He was on the small side, six pounds eight ounces."

"Doctor estimated that the baby is going to be around eight pounds if we go to full term."

"Liam was two weeks early."

In a hushed tone, JJ said, "Crying," as her voice grew quieter Hotch missed a few words, and then he heard, "Will's blues records."

Prentiss reached across and rubbed JJ's arm, "Oh Jayje, I listened to Phil Collins for two months, and cried through each song. Your body is growing a whole person, and your hormones are going to go crazy. Just wait, you will call me when the baby is six weeks old, crying hysterically about something stupid."

"Post Partum?"

"Not really, it wasn't really bad depression, but it was complete insanity. I cried for hours on Louise's shoulder, because I didn't want Liam, who was three weeks old at the time, to grow up to be a fireman, and then die in a fire. Totally irrational."

JJ laughed, "Fireman! Hey, I didn't know you knew Louise before you moved here."

Prentiss shifted in her seat, and paused before answering, "Yeah, she's a family friend, so I've know her for years." She cleared her throat, "So, you and Will don't know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I didn't want to find out. Will said we had enough surprises, but he's been cool about waiting. " JJ replied wistfully, "But Will is 100% sure it's a boy, and I am 110% sure it's a girl."

Listening to them talk, Hotch smiled. This was a good day, he thought as he put away his file folders. He let his head rest against the seat, and closed his eyes, relaxed.

The sound of the plane lowering the wheels startled Hotch out of a deep sleep. His hands gripped the armrests as he shook his head, trying to wake up.

Across from him, Prentiss looked up from her book, catching his eye and tilting her head towards the other side of the plane. Hotch followed her eyeline to see that JJ was asleep on her back in the bench seat; her hands holding her protruding belly. He smiled at the scene and looked back at Prentiss.

"I think she's getting pretty close. Do you have someone in mind to cover for her?"

"JJ says she has a plan, and she's handling it with Human Resources." He told her as he double checked that his belongings were in his bag, or pockets.

Prentiss folded her page over, closing her book, before placing it in her bag. She let out a happy hum as she mirrored Hotch's actions, patting her pocket to make sure her phone was in there.

"Good book?"

"It's good, actually very good, but I just love the plane rides home."

Raising an eyebrow at her, Hotch waited for the explanation.

"Coming home after a good case, not that they are ever good cases in the first place, but it was a pretty darn good outcome today, you know? Anyway, I am flying home, and I get a few minutes to decompress and just read." She sighed, "I never get to read anymore. Sometimes I hide..."

She trailed off as her cheeks flushed. Her blush raced across her cheeks and down to her neck. Hotch brought his eyes up to meet hers, making sure to avoid following her blush as it crept lower.

JJ spoke, startling both of them, "Do you hide in the bathroom to read? My friend does that; she says it gives her at least five minutes of uninterrupted time."

They laughed as Prentiss nodded, and covered her face, "I'm so ashamed. Anyway JJ, your book reading days are about to end. Soon it will be nothing but Goodnight Moon."

The plane landed, and they gathered their belongings. Hotch stopped by the cockpit to speak to the pilot. The ladies waved their goodbyes, and Hotch grabbed JJ's go bag as they disembarked.

"What do you recommend then? I can't read another baby book." JJ asked Prentiss.

A bark of laughter escaped from Hotch, and both women turned to stare at him. He shrugged, "You saw what her dad did to Reid."

Prentiss steadied JJ as they walked down the stairs, "I have a few in my bag, you can pick one."

"What was the big book you were enjoying?" Hotch asked her.

"It weighs more than my go bag. It's called the Historian. It's about a young girl who travels through Europe researching old letters. And that is all I am going to say about it, because no description would do it justice."

Hotch drove the SUV back to the academy campus, as Prentiss pulled out a handful of books from her go bag. She separated them into two piles, tucking the large book from the plane back into the bag.

"Two books for each of you. I think they will suit you." She said as she handed JJ the books, keeping Hotch's on her lap.

They bantered back and forth until they arrived at the parking garage, Hotch dropping them off at their own cars before he headed home. Perhaps he would start one of the books that Prentiss gave him.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N:

Episodes referenced are Season 4, Episode 6 The Instincts and Season 4 Episode 7, Memoriam

The big book Prentiss is reading is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I HIGHLY recommend it. Has anyone read it?


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Thanks to Natzinoo for taking the time to review, edit, re-review, and re-edit. You ROCK!

Welcome to new readers! Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews.

 **Chapter 32**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A few days later, JJ went into labor while they were at the office. A thrill of excitement went through Hotch as he ran down to the garage to get the SUV. He pulled up and helped her in as, Garcia and Prentiss piled in the backseat.

Driving carefully, he was aware of the change in JJ's breathing as each contraction hit. Despite her best attempts to maintain control, she grimaced every time. Garcia tried her best at coaching JJ from the backseat, but luckily to JJ and Garcia's relief, Prentiss redirected Garcia's attention by asking her to hack the hospital system to ensure JJ had a private room.

They arrived at the hospital within twenty minutes, beating Will by a few seconds. The father to be had arrived in a squad car with the lights flashing, and the siren blaring. He piled out of the car, leaving the driver side door open. His partner hopped out of the car, and shook his head as Will ran to JJ's side, cradling her in his arms.

Prentiss walked over to Will's partner and introduced herself. Officer Cassidy yelled after Will as he escorted his girlfriend through the Emergency Room doors, "She not dying for _God's Sake_! She's in labor."

Garcia gave him a dirty look as she walked over, and proceeded to drag Prentiss away from him.

Hotch shook his head, and hopped back in his vehicle to park, as Will's partner drove the squad car away.

A few hours after Henry William LaMontagne was born; Dave, Morgan, and Reid arrived from Vegas. Hotch was unable to hide his grin as he watched his team gathered together to celebrate a new life.

He treated the group to coffee, as Garcia hooked her arm around his, and announced to Morgan, "Hero Hotch, ensured our JJ arrived safely."

Prentiss laughed at Hotch's expression, mouthing 'Hero Hotch'. He sent her a stern glare, but she smirked and continued chatting with Dave.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Furious and fuming, Hotch missed JJ more than ever. If she had never gotten pregnant and had a baby, he wouldn't be in this situation. He, Aaron Hotchner, Supervisory Special Agent _**IN**_ Charge, would not be considering murdering the interim media liaison, Jordan Todd.

That woman was infuriating. Over the last two weeks, she had randomly burst into his office, complaining, or throwing tantrums like a toddler. And now, she told a bold face lie to a victim's family on a freaking hunch. Hotch hit the steering wheel in frustration. He could hear Morgan talking to her outside the car, and he hoped for her sake, she took Morgan's advice.

The case wasn't going well; it seemed like there were two distinct profiles but they knew it was just one unsub. Add in that disgusting waste of space known as Viper, and Hotch was ready to snap.

Garcia managed to get a smile out of him on the phone, and somehow Prentiss convinced him to let Todd join her at the nightclub. Hotch found himself, more often than not, struggling to say no to Emily Prentiss. Thinking it through, JJ could get him to do things as well. These women, Hotch thought, he let them into his life more than ever before.

Flying home a few days later, he caught Prentiss' eye as she looked up from her book, "You are right. There is something special coming home after a good outcome."

Holding up her hand, she counted off on her fingers, "Caught the unsub, saved a girl, got Reid a girlfriend."

"Let's not forget your potential love interest, Viper." Hotch reminded her.

She threw her head back and laughed, her long curls swinging, "Thanks, Hotch! I don't know how I could have possibly forgotten about Prince Charming."

Prentiss went back to reading her book, not noticing Hotch's contemplative gaze on her. She was so darn pretty, he thought, back in her regular clothes, her makeup simple, she didn't need that little black dress to shine. She did that all on her own.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch found himself with a free weekend, as Jack was spending time with Haley's side of the family. He took a long bike ride, finding a nice thirty mile trail. Showering, and eating a sandwich only took up another half hour, and he still had the rest of Saturday afternoon open.

He could call Dave or Morgan but he paused reaching for his phone. Dave was going hunting this weekend. He didn't know what Morgan was doing; he hadn't asked. He had no inclination to join Reid for a spirited game of chess at the park. The young genius had chess groupies; a subset of society that made Hotch very uncomfortable.

For a moment, he had the impulse to call Prentiss to see what she was doing, maybe her and the boys would want to do something with him. But he quickly shrugged that thought off. No, this was her family time, and he shouldn't intrude.

Hotch wandered around his apartment aimlessly, until he remembered the books from Prentiss. Grabbing them, he sat down on the couch and read the back covers. He thumbed through both before selecting one.

"When was the last time I read a book for fun?" He asked himself. He truly couldn't remember, he must have been a child. He was well read but that was for school; reading books so he could get into college, followed by more reading so he could get into law school, and finally, reading the law books so he could pass the bar. Reading hadn't been fun since he was quite young.

He opened the book and tried to start, but he wasn't comfortable. Adjusting his position on the couch, wincing at the poor lighting, then giving in to his thirst, he had read the opening paragraph four times with no comprehension. Hotch ran his hand through his short hair, muttering out loud, "I'm like a kid trying to avoid doing his homework."

Settling down in an armchair, near a window, Hotch finally started to read. An hour passed as he read, engrossed in the tale. His phone beeped, a picture message from Haley. He opened it and saw a photo of Jack covered in white powder. She had captioned it, " _Jack baking w grandma."_

Hotch laughed, and saved the photo to his phone, texting back, " _Must take after his Uncle Sean."_

She replied, " _LOL."_

Hotch leaned back in the chair. He debated reading again but decided that while relaxing alone was great for now, he needed to have a life outside of work or Jack. He decided to call Morgan.

"Hotch, we got a case?"

"No, no case." Hotch wondered if he should get another number, one for cases and one for personal. "I was just wondering what you were up to this weekend."

"Awesome!" Morgan filled him in cheerfully. "I'm going on a date tonight, but tomorrow is wide open. Wanna hit the courts, or do some back breaking labor at my fixer upper?"

"Back breaking labor? Yeah, that sounds fun."

"It's demolition so it is fun! I promise. The previous owners built a sun room without following any building codes, and the ceiling is falling in."

"Actually, tearing down a room does sound fun."

"Cool, pick you up at 10ish."

They hung up,and Hotch returned to his book, content.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Episode referenced is Season 4 Episode 9: 52 Pickup

So, Who hates Jordan Todd? I thought she was so unprofessional.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch was shocked by Prentiss' appearance. She was pale and visibly shaking after the loss of her friend. She looked so lost, so heartbroken. He wanted to go around the desk, and pull her into his arms. Rather than following his gut and hugging her, he gave her the space, and the time to investigate.

Over the next few days, he caught a glimpse into Prentiss' past. There was something haunting her; and he wished there was more he could do. Instead, he let Dave handle the situation. He sat back, and allowed political maneuverings to control the outcome.

He grew concerned after watching the way Prentiss spoke to her friend, John, as they put him in the ambulance. Hotch sensed that they had a much deeper history, and by her wariness around him, Hotch knew that it wasn't altogether a pleasant one. However, despite any bad blood that could be there, he could tell she still cared for him deeply, she had saved his life without hesitation.

Sitting on his couch with a beer in hand, Hotch thought about the situation. He wasn't pleased with how unsupportive he had been, or how he had let others step in when it should have been him. It was always Dave comforting her, not him.

He took a sip, and found that the beer had gone warm. Grumbling, he went to the kitchen and poured it out into the sink.

He could call and check on her, but given the "do we have a case?" freakout that occurred each time he called a team member, he was hesitant to pick up the phone.

Hotch grabbed his jacket and keys, and headed to her brownstone. It was only nine in the evening, she wouldn't be in bed this early, he reasoned. He approached the door, knocking softly. Not hearing anything for a minute, he was torn between knocking louder, or walking away. Raising his hand to knock again, he was startled as the door opened. Louise was on the other side, leveling him with a stern gaze.

"Agent Hotchner, Emily isn't receiving guests at this time."

"Louise, I just wanted to check on her. How is she?"

She hesitated, but then opened the door wider, "Come in."

Hotch stepped into the entryway, and waited for Louise to speak again. She took her time closing the door, and locking it before turning to look at him.

"Are you here as her friend or her supervisor?"

Releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding, he replied, "As a friend."

"In the kitchen with you then, I've just put some tea on."

He followed her through the quiet house, and she settled him at the table with a cup of black tea.

"I'll go get Emily."

Hotch held the teacup, letting the warmth seep into his cold hands until he heard her light footsteps. Prentiss was fresh out of the shower, her wet hair up in a messy bun, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and yoga pants, her feet covered in fuzzy socks. He stood up, his chair pushing back as his legs hit it.

"Prentiss," he paused, "Emily, I know this didn't turn out well."

She raised her hand to stop him, "This sucked big time."

"That sums it up nicely." he said.

Pouring a cup of tea for herself, she joined him at the small table. She spooned sugar into her tea, and kept stirring as she stared at the table.

"Are you okay?"

She sighed, "I will be," before muttering quietly under her breath.

Hotch sipped at his rapidly cooling tea, and waited to see if she would elaborate.

"I feel like Matthew's life was lost needlessly. He was a sweet boy, he was just troubled. He had his problems, but he deserved to live, to find happiness, to find peace."

"I wish I could have done more. I let politics dictate our involvement in the case, Prentiss, and I apologize."

She smiled sadly at him, "I thought I was Emily now."

"I am having a hard time navigating between team, and friendship. Emily," he said, and then he repeated with confidence, "Emily, I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Hotch. I know your hands were tied. We were able to save John." She sipped at her tea, before adding in another teaspoon of sugar.

Hotch downed the rest of his cold tea, feeling a surge of anger at this so called friend of hers, "John hurt you, didn't he, Emily?"

"It was years ago, Hotch. We were young and stupid." She stood and grabbed the teapot, before returning to the table to refill his cup.

He wanted to say, "Yet it still hurts you now, decades later," but he held back. He didn't know why he was so angry on her behalf. He sipped at the now too hot tea, burning the tip of his tongue.

"Hotch, it's fine."

Unable to stop himself, he blurted out his thoughts, "It's not fine for someone to hurt you so deeply that you still feel it years later. It's not fine."

She wouldn't meet his eye, instead she traced the rim of the tea cup.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither knowing what to say. Finally, Prentiss admitted, "You are right. It's not fine, and things between John and I will never be good. But I have forgiven him. I had to so I could move on with my life."

Hotch nodded, his eyes trained on her hands.

"I appreciate you stopping by to check on me. I'm going to take the rest of the week, and go to Mattie's funeral."

Nodding jerkily, he stood, "Please call me if there is anything I can do."

Hotch placed his teacup in the sink, and headed for the front of the house. Prentiss walked behind him until they reach the door. He turned and considered hugging her, because that is what you do to comfort a friend, he told himself. Instead, he gave her a soft smile, "Take care of yourself, Emily."

"Thank you, Hotch."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N:

Episode referenced is Season 4, Episode 17: Demonology - some dialogue taken from show.

Shout out to my beta, Natzinoo. She not only re-watched the episode to make sure I was accurate and conveying the right emotions, she took the time to debate with me Hotch's personality. Case in point, would he say "Emily, I apologize" or "Emily, I'm sorry" ? Formal Hotch versus Friend Hotch...

And since we used the term "bad blood," I am going to recommend a song: Bad Blood by Bastille. I think the lyrics fit well with the relationship Emily had with John.


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: This chapter was beta'd, re-written, split into two chapters, and re-beta'd. Words cannot convey the gratitude I feel towards Natzinoo. She is a rock star! And if you aren't reading her CM story, Forever a Family, you are missing out. I got to pre-read some chapters that made me offer her my first born in exchange for future chapters.

 **Chapter 34**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The team worked case, after case, giving Hotch time to review the team structure. He noticed that he had a tendency to pair up Reid with Dave, and Morgan with Prentiss, while he remained at the local station with JJ.

Deciding to change things up, he paired Dave with Prentiss, and kept Reid at the station with JJ. Hotch loved being out on the streets instead of being holed up in the station, playing nice with the locals and Strauss.

The more he worked with Morgan, the more impressed he was with the young man's ability to take charge. Hotch made a mental note to keep him on the leadership track; putting away any reservations he had had after New York.

The next case, The Boston Reaper, tested him as a profiler and as a man. He couldn't understand how Shaunessey had allowed the killer to manipulate him into surrendering. Now, the unsub was back, happily flaunting the mistakes of the older detective, and killing more victims.

The case troubled Hotch, it had been his first as a lead profiler for the BAU, and he always felt like this was his great white whale. He knew they had been missing something, but before he could figure it out the Boston Police Department, Shaunessey specifically, had sent him away.

After reviewing his old case notes, and his solo attempt at a profile, Hotch turned to Dave for guidance. That evening, a call came to his hotel room phone. The message was the same, "If you stop hunting me, I will stop hunting them."

The exchange got Hotch's blood up, he was furious as he slammed the handset down. He knew he had made the right decision; he couldn't allow this killer to remain free, unchecked, and with power over him. But the lives of innocent people were now his responsibility, and when the next call notifying him of more victims came through an hour later, Hotch doubted his choice. He now had the blood of seven lives on his hands.

Feeling overwhelmed with self doubt and shame, Hotch asked Dave to meet him at the crime scene, leaving the team to handle things at the police station. After breaking down in the alley, he didn't regret his choice of partner. He was embarrassed enough as it was, it would have been so much worse if it was another member of the team. Oh God, what if he had cried in front of Prentiss?

Hotch pulled himself together after Dave's dramatic, yet helpful dress down. He focused on the case, the details, the victimology. Back to basics, and with the team collaborating, they identified the unsub and arrested him.

When Hotch returned from the case, he went straight for the Scotch in bottom drawer of his desk. He was still recovering from Morgan's close call, and the death of an old acquaintance and fellow Law Enforcement officer. His bruised ego wasn't helping his mood either. He never got that drink though, as JJ burst through, Foyet had escaped.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

In his next meeting with Strauss, he provided an evaluation of the team dynamics, as well as their individual performance reports. Strauss made her notations, and sent the files to human resources. She encouraged him to have Prentiss teach interrogations during their next cycle at the academy, after having reviewed several video interviews where the unsubs had confessed.

Hotch returned to the bullpen and announced, "I'll buy first round!". Effectively declaring their work day was over at four thirty in the afternoon.

Recently back from maternity leave, JJ declined after blushing furiously. Prentiss whispered something to her, and JJ relaxed a bit as she made a beeline for the elevator.

The rest of the team packed up their files, and shut down their computers, laughing and jostling for first position in the elevator.

The group ordered pints of a craft brew that server had recommended. Dave nodded in appreciation after the first sip, and leaned in to flirt with their server.

"See how Rossi did that. That's an opening, Pretty Boy. Ask for a recommendation, try it, and you have an opening to talk to the PYT." Morgan told their resident genius, "No need for flash or pick up lines. Just talk."

"PYT?"

Garcia patted Reid's leg, "Pretty young thing."

Sitting next to each other, Prentiss leaned over and asked Hotch, "Do you ever feel like we are the mom and dad to a bunch of teenagers?"

"But Dave..."

"Rossi's like the Nursing Home Playboy." Prentiss said.

Hotch snorted in his glass, causing Prentiss to lapse into a fit of giggles. At the sound of Hotch's laughter, the group turned to stare at them.

Morgan raised an eyebrow, "They aren't even drunk."

Garcia waved her hand at the server, "Hi Mrs. Rossi, Version 4.0, can we get another round? Tequila shots this time. We want to get Mr. and Mrs. Serious here drunk."

Prentiss raised her hands in protest, but the server had already scurried off.

Hotch said to her with a smile, "I guess we are married as well as being the team's parents."

"I do have a tendency to consider Hotch and Emily as parents." said Reid, having overheard the conversation. "They always make sure we follow the rules, and set the tone for team. Morgan is the big brother, always teasing."

"And JJ is like the sister, right?" Garcia asked.

Morgan flashed a blinding white smile, "And that makes Rossi here, Grandpa."

Laughter erupted at the table again. They clinked glasses and threw back the tequila shots.

The side conversations started up again, and Hotch leaned over to whisper to Prentiss, "Hey, is JJ okay? I noticed she seemed shaken up a bit back in the office."

Breaking into a deep blush, Prentiss giggled, "She's fine; she just ran into a new mom problem this afternoon."

Confused, he shook his head, "New mom problem?"

"Um, it's a girl thing."

Now, it was Hotch's turn to blush, as he considered the clues: new mom, female problems, scurrying out of the office. Realizing that JJ was still breastfeeding, he had his answer. She was probably leaking, and she had already changed shirts that day, citing spilled coffee when Reid had inquired earlier.

He dropped his head into his hands, "Prentiss, order us another round. I think I figured out the new mom problem, and I want to try and erase it from my brain."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Episode referenced Season 4, Episode 18: Omnivore

While (re)watching this episode, my husband yelled to Foyet, "Stay Golden." Bonus points to anyone who gets the reference…


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Props to new reader, kjnpurple1, who knew "Stay Golden" came from movie "The Outsiders" featuring C. Thomas Howell as Ponyboy. Great read and great movie...

 **Chapter 35**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Hey Hotch," Reid said from the doorway.

Hotch looked up from his paperwork, his neck and shoulders stiff from sitting in the same position for hours.

"Emily and I are taking the boys to the museum tomorrow. Declan wants to see the Egyptian mummies. Do you want to come? Is Jack too young? He might like the animal exhibits on the third floor."

Considering the offer, Hotch nodded, "Jack might like that. I think he'd just like to do anything with the boys."

"Good! Emily said if you were coming, we'll go early so we don't mess up Jack's nap schedule. Did you know that studies have shown with an increase in length, nap time…"

Hotch held up his hand, "Hold on, Reid. What time?"

"Oh, 10:30 should give us enough time for several exhibits plus lunch before Jack's nap time."

"Should I meet you there, or do you need a ride?"

Reid tilted his head, "Can you pick me up? Emily would have to go out of her way to pick me up."

"No problem. Jack and I will get you around ten."

Reid headed out, he had been the last one in the bullpen. Hotch finished up the file he was working on, and leaned back in his chair. Rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck, he thought about the invitation. Prentiss was thoughtful to invite him, and she created a plan to accommodate his son's schedule. Thoughtful and considerate.

The next day, Hotch picked up Jack from Haley's first thing in the morning, and they went on a short run through the park. Jack screeched happily from the jogging stroller, waving at every dog they passed. After stopping at the swings, then the slides, they returned to the apartment so Hotch could shower.

Bathing with a roaming toddler in the house was difficult. Hotch moved half the toy box into the bathroom so Jack could occupy himself during Hotch's five minute shower. Sure enough, the toys weren't enough stimulation. Jack ended up entertaining himself by putting his trucks into the shower stall, as Hotch tried to blindly step around them. The water rained over Jack and onto the floor.

Hotch and Jack picked up Reid, and headed to the museum. They joined Prentiss and the boys at the entrance. Declan and Liam ran to them, giving Reid and Jack hugs. Declan shook hands with Hotch before walking off with Reid. Liam hugged Hotch's legs, "Mr. Hotch, we're gonna see mummies!"

The large group made their way through several exhibits, letting Jack explore with Liam. Emily had a special touch, so Jack allowed her to carry him without fussing to get down. Declan and Reid read every single placard at the exhibits. They talked to every docent, and used Prentiss' smartphone to look up every factual error they could find.

Liam danced around, and bounced through each exhibit, entertaining Jack who tried to emulate him. Hotch and Prentiss exchanged several "aren't they cute?" looks throughout the morning. Liam's legs ached as they approached lunch time. He held his arms up to Hotch, who picked him up and carried him on the walk back to the first floor.

Assessing the crowded museum cafeteria, they decided to grab a table before they were all occupied. Leaving Prentiss with Liam and Jack, Hotch, Reid and Declan went to order lunch for the group.

Hotch was impressed as Declan placed the order for Prentiss and Liam, "Yes, Ma'am. A chicken caesar salad, and a bottle of water. A kid's meal with nuggets, fruit, and strawberry milk. A kid's meal with a cheeseburger, fruit and chocolate milk. Thank you, Ma'am."

The lady taking their order smiled at Declan, and said to Hotch "Fine boy you have there."

Placing his hand on Declan's shoulder, Hotch smiled at the boy, and nodded to the lady. Declan's blue eyes shone with pride. Reid and Hotch placed their orders, and returned to the table.

"Dec, does it come with a toy?" Liam asked.

Soon their number was called, and their meals were ready. The adults set up the kids plates, handing out napkins and utensils. Prentiss showed Hotch a trick with a key and a straw that allowed Jack to drink from a milk bottle without spilling. Liam was engrossed in the prize that came with the kid's meal, a book about bugs, for most of the meal. Prentiss gave up on reminding him to eat, instead spooning his fruit directly into his mouth. Prentiss snapped a few photos of Liam and Jack with ketchup on their faces, and texted it to Hotch.

"I'll have to send this to Haley. I forgot to tell you, Haley says Jack demands to wear his dinosaur hat all the time." Hotch told her.

"Emily, I'm done. Can we play on the playground?" Declan asked.

When she looked down at her full plate, Reid volunteered to take the older kids around the corner to the indoor playground.

Jack squawked, "Iam! Dec!" as the boys headed away from the table.

"I could take Jack, too. I don't mind." Reid offered. Hotch nodded, and unstrapped Jack from the high chair.

The single parents ate their lunch making small talk when Hotch asked, "Declan's father is not around?"

She shook her head, "Louise is raising him on her own."

"I'm glad Reid is there for him. They get along quite well."

Hotch was surprised when he looked up from his plate, her eyes were watering, her mouth turned down. She turned away, and when she looked back at him, her expression was neutral.

"Spencer has been wonderful with both boys, but especially Declan. They clicked." She said.

Not wanting to pry, Hotch let the matter drop. They walked to the playground area, spotting

Declan playing with Jack on one side of the tunnel, as Reid's feet stuck out from the other end.

Prentiss called out, and Liam scooted out of the tunnel, racing over with the other boys leaving Reid behind.

Hotch picked up Jack, "Thank you for inviting us. This was fun."

The group said their goodbyes, and the Hotchner men left so they could be home in time for Jack's nap.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Milk Bottle / Straw Trick: I learned it when my kids were toddlers, I still use it with my 10 year old cause she spills everything! If the milk bottle comes with a foil seal, punch a small hole in foil using a key or pen. Then put the straw in. Of course, this only works if the kiddo doesn't enlarge the hole by fiddling around with the straw… My brother in law uses his pocket knife to make hole in cap - If I did that, I would probably cut my hand….


	36. Chapter 36

Loud and Exuberant Shout Out to my beta, Natzinoo. She dives into each chapter and works her magic!

 **Chapter 36**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch's phone beeped, a text from Sean, " _Dude, can u talk"_

Half the team was on the jet; Prentiss and Reid were arguing over a TV show about fireflies, while Rossi typed away on his laptop. JJ hid in the back of the plane, whispering on her phone. She always checking on her son before takeoff. They were waiting for Morgan and Garcia, the latter who traveled with many crates of technical equipment. Hotch wanted her in the field, so that he didn't have to depend on the locals and their limited access.

He hit send on the phone, calling his younger brother, "What's up, Sean?"

"How are you, man?"

"I'm good! We are leaving for a case up in Canada soon."

"Have some poutine when you get there. Then you can talk like a Canadian when you get back to the house, eh?" Sean said with a silly accent pronouncing 'house' and 'eh' as their northern neighbor's might.

"Really?"

Sean cracked himself up, "I guess I don't do a good accent. Anyway, poutine man. It's the shit."

"I'd like to reach my 40th birthday."

"It's not _that_ unhealthy. Plus, you work out all the time. So I have two pieces of good news and one piece of bad news. What do you want first?"

Sighing, Hotch said, "Good."

"I made headway with Jody."

Hotch cut to the chase, "Exclusive?"

"Yup!"

"Wow, Sean Hotchner settling down."

"I've had girlfriends before..." Sean ignored his brother's snort over the phone, "Anyway, things are going really well. We even matched up our days off, cause we had opposite schedules. And that leads to the other piece of good news, we hired a manager for the restaurant."

Hotch leaned back in the plane seat, "That's great, Sean! You won't have to work seven days a week anymore."

"Yeah, I haven't had a day off in two months. Okay, I don't want to be the one to break the bad news but it's better you hear it from me."

"Go ahead," Hotch instructed his brother.

"Um, Jess texted, um, I guess Haley is dating some accountant guy from her office."

"That's okay, Sean. I know. Well, I knew she was dating but I didn't know who."

Sean laughed, "Damn, I should have known. Stupid profilers!"

Garcia entered the plane followed by Morgan, who was carrying her laptop bag. They settled into seats, and Hotch finished up his call.

"Sean, I have to go, but do you want to come down and bring Jody in the next few weeks? I'd like to meet her."

"Sounds good, now have some POUTINE!" Sean shouted the last word as he clicked off.

Hotch rubbed his ear as the team all turned to stare at him. He shrugged his shoulders, "Sean takes his french fries and gravy seriously."

The team reviewed the case, wondering why the unsub crashed into the guard station and then confessed to multiple murders. When they finished, Hotch leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

Haley was dating. He had watched her change over the last two months. She had highlighted her hair, updated her wardrobe, and wore makeup. She had told him that she was loving the copywriting job, working a few hours a week.

Their conservations had been stilted for the last month, her expression guilty. He wanted to tell her that it's okay that she was dating, but at the same time he wanted her to be alone and miserable. He was jealous; she had moved on.

Hotch released a frustrated grumble of noise causing Dave to turn and look.

"It's nothing, Dave." Hotch said, ignoring Dave's pointed look, and he opened the case file.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Disturbing case, horrible outcome. This one would go down in the books as possibly one of the worst cases in BAU history. Hotch noticed Prentiss didn't crack open her book on the flight home. She wasn't going home on a high note either. Arriving at the airstrip, the team disembarked, and climbed into the cars quietly. Prentiss drove Hotch and JJ to their cars, the commute was silent outside of the "good night," they muttered to each other.

Returning home, Hotch dropped his stuff and headed for the whiskey. He reviewed his to do list as he poured himself a glass. Drink, shower, drink again and sleep. But, before he could take his first sip, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

He turned slowly and stared into the black mask covering George Foyet's face. The fucking Reaper was in his home, pointing a gun at his head.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: So my uber nerds, did you catch that reference about a tv show? Hmmm?

Poutine is french fries with gravy, popular dish in Canada. While I am not in Canada, there is a place near my work that has it. It is truly an amazing dish, it's like heaven in gravy and french fry form.

Since this AU and Hotch is _mine all mine_ , I made him a little younger. He's not quite 40 yet.

Couldn't remember if Garcia traveled with the team, my sweet Beta, Natzinoo, says she met them in Canada. But we are going to pretend….

Episodes referenced: Season 4, Episodes 25 and 26 - To Hell... And Back


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: This story has 100 Followers. I am humbled by your interest!

Thanks to Natzinoo for collaborating on this story. It wouldn't be what it is without her.

 **Chapter 37**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"I should have taken a hand to hand combat refresher course with Morgan," Hotch thought as Foyet got the upper hand.

Hotch didn't lose hope until the fourth time he was stabbed. He couldn't believe how incapacitating the wounds were, as he slowly drifted in and out of consciousness. As he came to, Foyet climbed over him, settling down on Hotch's hips and upper legs. After monologuing for several minutes, Foyet stabbed him again.

Unable to move, Hotch lay there, bleeding out, as Foyet wandered around his apartment, taunting him.

Removing his shirt, Foyet illustrated how Hotch's scars would look, _should_ he survive. After another thrust of the knife, Hotch lost consciousness for the final time.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hazy glimmers of light then darkness.

Hotch would wake, fighting pain and a heavy fog that clouded his brain, for a few seconds before succumbing to the blackness again.

Beeping machines, cool hands on his forehead, lights calling to him.

Hot, sweaty, and achy. Someone was wiping his face with a wet cloth, running their fingers through his hair, pushing it way from his forehead. He heard murmuring, a soft voice speaking to him. His eyelids were so heavy. Pushing himself, Hotch tried to open his eyes. The brightness burned and he shut them again.

Another few hours passed before he woke and he tried opening his eyes again. The hospital room was dim; the monitors quietly beeping and pinging. He sensed someone in the room, and slowly turned his head. Prentiss was slumped over in a chair, asleep.

His body ached, with soreness and pain. He tried to think but his head was throbbing.

Foyet.

Foyet had stabbed him. As the memories came rushing back, the alarms on the monitors sounded.

Prentiss shot up from her seat, her hands reached for her waistband before she realized where she was. "You're okay, Hotch!" Prentiss called to him over the sounds of the alarms.

Two nurses burst into the room, one checking his pulse and the other silencing the alarms.

A nurse leaned over him, "Mr. Hotchner, are you in pain?"

His voice cracked, "No, I'm fine. What happened?"

The second nurse started out of the room, calling over her shoulder, "I'll let the doctor know you're awake."

"Prentiss, Foyet?" He croaked out and the nurse adjusted his bed, sitting him up. Hotch felt ridiculous as he sipped from the straw as the nurse held the water cup up for him.

The nurse stepped back as Hotch asked again, "Foyet?"

Prentiss stepped forward, her face was battered. Shocked by her appearance, he flinched, and pain rocketed through his sore body.

"He's dead, Hotch."

"Emily?" He spoke her given name, caressed it, as he wished he could caress her swollen face.

"I'm fine. How are you? Are you in pain?"

"No, what happened to you?" Hotch asked her.

The nurse finished taking notes, and put his chart back on the foot of the bed. She left and Prentiss stepped closer to the bed. She reached out, almost touched his hand but then she pulled back.

The doctor stepped into the room and Prentiss returned to the chair, sitting quietly.

"Agent Hotchner, good to see you awake. I'm Dr. Mills. You came through surgery just fine, and we are administering a pain reliever, as well as antibiotics as a precaution in case of infection." The doctor spoke as she read his chart. She glanced up at the monitors and jotted down a few notes, "How is your pain level?"

"Fine." Hotch replied.

She glanced at Prentiss, "I see you are using the FBI scale of pain management, so I am going to give you another dose. It won't knock you out." The doctor pushed a button on a machine connected to Hotch's IV, "And Agent Prentiss, we had an agreement."

Prentiss nodded, "I'll stop by the nurses station shortly."

After the doctor left, Prentiss stood up and pulled the chair closer to Hotch. She sat at his bedside, close enough to touch.

"Emily, are you okay? What happened?"

She took in a deep breath, and reached out to hold his hand.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Her cool hands held his, rubbing the bare skin not covered by a bandage.

"Your phone was in my car, it must have fallen out of your pocket after I drove us back from the airstrip. It rang, and I found it wedged in the seat. You had a missed call from Strauss so I thought I would bring it to you." She rambled nervously.

Hotch nodded, indicating she should continue.

"I pulled up to your apartment building but there wasn't parking in the front, so I had to circle the building. I parked on a side street, and as I walked by the alley behind the building, I saw a man putting something big into a van. It didn't look right so I slowed down, and that's when I recognized him, ." She stuttered, unable to say his name before spitting it out as if the very word was offensive, "Foyet."

She let out a shuddering breath, "I pulled my gun, and announced myself. He laughed and dropped you, putting his hands up. I approached, and he barreled into me. I shot him once but he didn't seem to notice. He slammed my head into the concrete. I shot him again and again, and he finally stopped moving."

Pausing, she closed her eyes, "I thought you were dead. But then when I unwrapped you." She choked on her words, and took a minute to calm herself. "I called for an ambulance; you had lost so much blood, Hotch. I didn't think you were going to survive."

Tears flowed steadily down her raw and swollen face, and he gripped her hand tight.

They sat, her in a chair, him in the bed, holding hands.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Keep in mind this is AU; And I don't know anything about nursing or doctoring

Episode referenced Season 5, Episode 1: Nameless, Faceless


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: What kind of Beta edits a chapter while on vacation? A wonderful one. Thanks Natzinoo!

Readers: Thanks for the reviews and follows. Much appreciated!

 **Chapter 38**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A nurse interrupted, knocking on the door frame, "Mr. Hotchner, we need to check your vitals. And, Ms. Prentiss, Dr. Mills would like to see you at the nurses station."

Hotch relaxed his grip on her hand, and she stood. She pushed the chair back against the wall, and left the room.

The nurse clucked her tongue as Prentiss passed her, "Ice it, honey. It will help the swelling. Now, Mr. Hotchner, let's get your blood pressure. Then we will check your sutures."

Introducing herself, Nurse Kapur checked Hotch from head to toe, noting her findings on the chart. "Looking good. Now, for the lecture because I know your type, Mister!"

She wagged her finger at him, "You are seriously injured, and you have more stitches than Frankenstein's monster. You will use the bed controls to assist you in sitting up or laying back. You will not try to get up on your will use the medicine pump, just hit it once, you won't get too much."

She held up her hand to quell his protests, "Pain management is serious business! And you will tell one of your nurses if you feel off, your body is ripe for infections and we don't want to risk it. Got it?"

Hotch stared at the petite woman wearing bright pink scrubs as she stared right back at him. He focused his look into a glare that would make any unsub confess on the spot. She patted his face, "Nice try, honey. You can't intimidate a nurse."

"That's for sure," Dave's voice came through the doorway, "A nurse on the sixth floor just called security on me."

Nurse Kapur laughed at Dave, "Did you try to flirt for information with Nurse Eastman?"

Dave nodded, and settled in Prentiss' chair, "So, how's our patient?"

"Well behaved and healing, and we are going to keep it that way, right Mr. Hotchner?"

Nodding, Hotch resigned himself to staying in his hospital bed until her shift ended.

She walked out, calling over her shoulder, "And I know what you are thinking. Unfortunately for you, I've just started a double shift."

Prentiss returned with an ice pack held to her face, and Dave stood up, giving her the chair. Hotch picked up on the silent conversation they had with their eyes, "What's going on?"

"So Aaron, do you know what has happened in the last day or so?" Dave asked smugly, "Your team, minus Prentiss, who babysat you, solved a case in less than ten hours. Saving a father and son, and preventing a suicide by cop. No other team could have done that."

"Dave," Prentiss warned, and Hotch looked back and forth between them.

"Fine, Emily," Dave shrugged, "I wanted to wait to tell you. Spencer was shot in the leg but the bullet went through and through. He had a short little surgery, and he's going to be on crutches for awhile."

Hotch sat up at the news of Reid being shot, his body protested and he groaned in pain.

A moment later, Morgan and Garcia joined them. Garcia emitted high pitched noises as she looked from Hotch to Prentiss. Apparently, the team hadn't seen either of them since the attack.

Morgan set his jaw, and his eyes were hard as he took in the scene before him.

"Princess, if you hadn't killed Foyet, I'd put a bullet in his brain myself." Morgan said as he pulled her into a tight hug. He reached around her, and patted Hotch's leg. "I'm sorry, man."

"How is Spencer?" Prentiss asked.

"He's spouting off surgical site infection statistics, so I'd say he's fine. He's asking about you. JJ is up there with him." Garcia filled her in, "Room 620."

Prentiss excused herself, and remaining team gathered closer to Hotch's bed. Before they could start talking, Nurse Kapur entered the room, "All right, my friends, you have confirmed that he's okay. Say your goodbyes and let him rest."

"But I need to…"

Garcia started to speak, but the tiny nurse put her hand on Garcia's back and gently escorted her from the room. "Mr. Hotchner endured hours of surgery. He needs to rest now."

Morgan followed them out of the room, leaving Dave behind.

"Aaron, I called Sean. He's on his way down. Do you want me to let Haley know?"

"Do you know where my phone is? I'll call her." Hotch asked, while looking around the room.

Dave shook his head, "It's in evidence. IA is all over this, as are the local police. Garcia is ordering new ones for you and Emily." Dave pushed the hospital room phone towards Hotch, "I'll be back in twenty minutes or so."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Tired, and in pain, Hotch stared at the phone. "How does someone call their ex-wife, and tell her a crazed serial killer stabbed them nine times?" He asked himself.

Dialing Haley's number, he sucked in a nervous breath as it rang. He wasn't sure if he would prefer to leave a voicemail, or talk to her in person.

"Hello," Haley answered.

"Haley, It's me. How are you?"

"Aaron, I didn't recognize the number. I'm sorry, Jack went to bed about an hour ago."

Hotch closed his eyes, trying to formulate a succinct way to tell her. "I didn't call to speak with Jack. Ah, I was, well, I was injured, and I wanted to let you know that I am in the hospital."

"Hospital? Aaron, what happened?" Haley's voice rose steadily as the news sunk in.

"I'm okay, really. An unsub got the upper hand. I should be out of the hospital in a day or so."

"They don't keep you in the hospital overnight for something small, Aaron."

"I had surgery, and they just want to monitor me for awhile."

Haley was quiet on the other end of the line before speaking softly, "I'm not your emergency contact anymore, am I? Despite everything, I should have been informed; I should have been there if you were hurt, or in surgery."

"Honestly Haley, I never thought about it. I completed the paperwork in Human Resources when the divorce was final, and jotted Sean's name down. I'll update the paperwork, and I'll let the team know to call you. I'm sorry."

Hotch could hear her crying over the phone.

She sniffed, "I'm sorry too, Aaron. I really am. Can I come see you? Should I bring Jack? I can call Jess to watch him if you think..."

"Haley, it's fine. I am really worn out. I'm just going to go to sleep. Why don't you and Jack come by in the morning?"

"I will, get some rest, okay?"

Emotionally and physically exhausted, Hotch hung up the phone. He pushed the button to recline the bed, and was asleep before it had fully straightened out.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Episode referenced Season 5, Episode 1: Nameless, Faceless


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: Welcome to the new followers! Thanks to my readers and reviewers!

 **Chapter 39**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Throughout the night, Hotch was constantly woken as the nurses assessed him. He was groggy and in pain. Each time he woke, he noted that Dave was sitting in the chair, watching over him silently.

When he woke up naturally, not being prodded by the nurses, but rather due to the sun shining in the windows, he was surprised to see JJ sitting in Dave's chair.

"JJ?"

She smiled at him, "Hotch, nice to see you awake. I sent Dave home so he could get some sleep."

"How is Reid doing?"

The media liaison laughed, "He was released last night. Morgan took him to Emily's. He's refusing pain pills, and he's quote 'prickly' end quote, according to Emily's text this morning."

Smiling at JJ's air quotes, Hotch asked, "How is Prentiss?"

"She said she feels like she went a few rounds with Muhammad Ali, but the ice is keeping it numb."

"Good, good." Hotch fell silent, thinking through everything that had transpired over the last few days. "JJ, do I even want to know?"

"No. It's worse than you could even imagine. But Strauss is coming down with IA today, they want to interview you, so you should have all the details."

JJ reached over to the side table and grabbed a water cup, "Here."

Hotch sipped at the water, "Any idea how he got into my apartment?"

"He had Morgan's credentials and he flashed them at your super. The guy didn't look at it too closely."

He nodded, and JJ continued, "On Foyet's body, they found a page from your address book, the B section, and a photo of Haley and Jack. Morgan and Dave believe he kept you alive on purpose, but they weren't sure why he was moving you. They think he planned on going after Haley and Jack."

Hotch was livid, and his hands shook as he spoke, "Haley's maiden name is Brooks. I listed her under that in my address book, in case my book fell into the wrong hands. He was going to kill them. He was going to kill my family, just to make me suffer."

As JJ filled him in, the readings on the monitors had been going up steadily until an alarm sounded.

Nurse Kapur stepped in, silencing the alarm, "Mr. Hotchner, I am going to check you over one more time."

"I'll step out." JJ told him.

The nurse took his blood pressure and temperature, and she cleaned and re-bandaged his wounds, chatting away as she worked. "Would you look at this? A compliant patient."

"I am too tired to fight you," Hotch told her with a small grin, "Have you considered a career in law enforcement? You could get any suspect to confess."

She laughed as she noted his chart, "The surgeon will be by in a few hours to recheck the sutures. I'm off duty for the next few days, so I may not see you before you are discharged."

"I appreciate your help," Hotch told her sincerely.

Leveling a stern look at him, the nurse spoke, "Mr. Hotchner, since I won't get to give you my patented lecture on after care, I am giving it to you now."

She raised an eyebrow at him, narrowing her eyes, "You will go home, and you will try to do too much. You will skip your pain pills because you think you can handle it, all because you think you are a tough guy who is immune to pain. You will not care for yourself as you should. This will all lead to a longer healing period, and a grouchy FBI agent. Please take it easy, take your medicine and let people help you. You seem to have quite a few friends, lean on them."

Grimacing, Hotch nodded, "You are right. I'll try."

This earned him a smile out of the nurse.

"Good, good," She patted his leg, "Goodbye, Mr. Hotchner."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

After the nurse left, JJ returned with Sean in tow. The brothers caught up, Sean announcing he would be staying for a few days. Saying to JJ, "That big brother of mine wants all the attention, doesn't he?"

Haley and Jack arrived soon after, escorted in from the parking lot by Garcia and Morgan.

"Dada!"

Walking forward slowly, Haley tried to find a way to hold on to Jack so he could still hug his father without injuring him. "Daddy has owies. You have to be soft, Jack Jack. Okay?"

She leaned Jack over so Hotch could kiss the boy, and then Morgan approached with a chair. They pushed it against the bed, so that Jack could stand on it. The little boy reached over and patted Hotch's face, "Owies, Dada? Owies?"

At this, Garcia burst into loud sobs, "Oh sir! You could have…"

JJ interrupted quickly, "Penelope, let's get everyone some coffee. Come on."

"Aaron, what happened? You are covered in bandages!" Haley demanded.

"Jack, remember me?" Sean asked his nephew.

"Unca Sean! Up Peas!"

Sean picked up Jack, and caught Morgan's eye. The men left the room with Jack trying to give Morgan high fives.

"Aaron?"

Uncomfortable with all the attention, Hotch huffed, and smoothed the blanket down, "I was stabbed multiple times. The unsub made sure not to hit any major organs, so it's not as bad as it seems."

"Not as bad! Is he still out there? Is he going to come after you again?" A touch of hysteria could be heard in her voice.

Holding up his hands, Hotch said, "Prentiss shot him. He's dead. He won't bother us again."

"Oh Aaron," Haley sat down, and reached out her hand to him.

He held her hand, "I'm okay, Haley.",He wasn't lying, he was physically hurt but his mind was at ease knowing that his family was safe. He would forever be indebted to Emily, for taking out Foyet, for preventing whatever atrocities his sick mind would have inflicted on Jack and Haley. So yes, he was okay.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch's hospital room was filled to capacity. The team gathered there, except for Prentiss and Reid, along with Hotch's brother, ex-wife, ex-sister in law, and son. They spent the morning crowding around him until finally the surgeon, Dr. Mills, came in.

"A full house, Agent Hotchner."

Haley kissed his forehead, and headed out with Jack and Jess.

Morgan handed over his keys to Sean, "Stay at my place until Hotch's place isn't a crime scene."

Garcia offered to text Morgan's address to Sean, pulling up his contact information in her phone.

JJ leaned over, "Do you really have him listed as Hottie Hotchner?"

Dr Mills pointed at the door, and the team trickled out. With everyone gone, she could check Hotch's wounds.

Hotch asked, "When can I be discharged?"

"We are going to keep a close eye on you today. We will continue checking these wounds for signs of infection, and running antibiotics through the IV. If you run a fever, or see any redness, pus oozing, or extra tenderness, you need to let us know immediately."

"So tomorrow, I can be discharged?" He pressed her.

"Probably, tomorrow afternoon."

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Section Chief Erin Strauss swept into the room with a look of distaste on her face.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Thanks to my BETA, Natzinoo, for reading, reviewing, editing, and counseling. She has become a dear friend and I can't imagine life without her! So she should stop accepting dares from her brothers and jumping out of planes!


	40. Chapter 40

The 2015 Profiler's Choice Awards are on! Calling all CM readers and Authors! Join us for the final round in our annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards; help us choose the best of the best Criminal Minds fanfiction and let your voice be heard. Check out the final ballot and rules at the Profilers choice Awards 2015 Forum. All rules and information can be found there. Voting ends February 29 2016.

A/N: Hello Readers, please take a few minutes to review the nominations and vote for your fave stories/authors. I am trying to read all the nominated stories before the deadline but I fear I will need to quit my job and family to get through them all.

 **Chapter 40**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Is this a bad time?" Strauss asked snottily, her mouth pursed.

Dr. Mills rolled her eyes at Hotch, before turning around to face Strauss, "I am consulting with my patient right now. _You_ may go to the waiting room. I will have someone come get you _if_ Agent Hotchner is up for visitors."

Strauss huffed as she marched out of the room, her head held high.

Hotch tried to suppress his laughter but he wasn't quite able to; he began snorting when he was left alone with doctor.

"Who was that woman? I do not care for her."

This time, Hotch was unable to stop himself, laughing openly, and clutching at his chest as his wounds throbbed.

Morgan came into the room, "Doc, what did you give him?"

Hotch caught his breath, "She just kicked Strauss out of the room."

Dr. Mills shrugged, "I didn't like her." As she headed out of the room, she called over her shoulder, "I'll check on you tomorrow, Agent Hotchner."

Morgan joined in the laughter, drawing Dave, JJ, and Garcia into the room.

"Aaron, Strauss has Thompson from IA, and the local detective with her. They want to interview you. They interviewed Emily this morning." Dave filled him in.

"I'll be fine. Let's get this over with." Hotch told his team.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Forty minutes later, Strauss and Thompson left Hotch's room; ignoring the team lining the hallway.

The local detective stayed behind, "Agent Hotchner, our techs finished up this morning. Your apartment is no longer a crime scene."

They shook hands, and the detective told him, "Your agent did good. I am closing the case on our side."

Dave, JJ, and Garcia returned to the hospital room a few minutes later.

"My Chocolate Adonis is walking the detective out." Garcia told him as JJ pushed her.

"I want to see your phone right now, PG." JJ demanded, "What do you have us listed under?"

The girls bickered, and Dave smiled indulgently at Hotch, "Looks like Emily is cleared locally. I think Strauss won't be able to do much, other than putting us on stand down for awhile."

Hotch nodded, "I believe I made it clear to Thompson that I want Prentiss to be cleared within a day or so."

"Blondie!" JJ screeched, "You're blonde too! Hotch, I think you need to get Penelope drug tested again. She has you listed as Sir Bossman and Dave as the Italian Stallion."

Dave smirked, "I like that. What's Emily and Spencer?"

JJ scrolled through, "Princess Prentiss, and Young Einstein."

"It's her personal phone, JJ. However, if she uses FBI equipment…" Hotch trailed off as Garcia handed him a new mobile phone. "Do I want to look at my contacts?"

"Sir, it's fine. I just cloned your old phone. No alterations, promise."

The group bantered until Hotch's next nurse visit. The ladies stood, grabbing their stuff, and saying their goodbyes. Garcia was going to check on Spencer, and JJ had to get home.

Dave stuck around until the nurse whispered something to Hotch. His eyebrows shot up and he said, "Dave, it's time for you to go."

"I'll be back tomorrow!" Dave smirked, "Good luck with the catheter removal!"

Hotch groaned and covered his face with his hands, "So much for privacy."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The remainder of the day was filled with humiliations that Hotch was glad to experience alone. Walking was difficult. He lumbered around stiffly, unable to bend or turn in the slightest. After a twenty minute slow hobble around the ward, he was sweating and tired.

Sean returned with dinner; sharing his meal with Hotch when the nurses weren't looking. Morgan had met up with Sean earlier in the day. They had come down hard on the super of Hotch's apartment building, in an effort to get the tall angry men out of his tiny office. The super agreed to replace the carpet, and fix the bullet hole in the wall at no charge.

"Then Morgan crossed his arms and the poor super turned white. Like white white, and said everything would be replaced by tomorrow." Sean acted out Morgan's stance and stern face, "Then I got to go past the crime scene tape, no biggie for you I'm sure but for us civilians it's pretty cool. Oh yeah, and Morgan hooked me up with your SUV, I ran the lights for a few blocks."

"For God's sake, Sean, you are such a child."

Sean flashed a blinding white smile at his brother, "Dude, crime scene tape! And that bullet hole in your wall, it's like bigger than a fist. Aren't you glad you didn't get shot?"

Hotch sighed, "Thanks. You have found a way to make me see the bright side of this situation."

Sean smiled again, and Hotch finally couldn't hold back, "Sean, when did have your teeth bleached?"

"Yesterday morning. I was in the chair when Dave called and the dentist wouldn't let me answer the phone. What do you think? Jody will love them."

Hotch shook his head, "Only if she is wearing sunglasses."

Sean stayed until he saw that Hotch was fading and in pain. He leaned over his big brother to say good night, and tried to be discreet as he pushed the button on the pain pump.

"Oh Sean," complained Hotch.

"You'll sleep better if you aren't in pain. Anyway, I am crashing at Morgan's and I'll be back in the morning. Night Bro!"

Settling down into his bed, Hotch allowed his body to relax. Feeling every ache, pull, and pain slowly fade, he fell asleep.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Can you tell that I loooove Sean Hotchner? And I have slight dislike for Strauss?


	41. Chapter 41

The 2015 Profiler's Choice Awards are on! Calling all CM readers and Authors! Join us for the final round in our annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards; help us choose the best of the best Criminal Minds fanfiction and let your voice be heard. Check out the final ballot and rules at the Profilers Choice Awards 2015 Forum. All rules and information can be found there. **Voting ends February 29 2016.**

A/N: Super duper thanks to my beta, Natzinoo. Although, she is driving me crazy with her cliff hangers (to the point of insanity), she is a wonderful person and a true friend!

 **Chapter 41**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next morning, Hotch was able to move around with more ease. He completed the walk around the ward in ten minutes, standing a bit taller than the previous day's hunched over posture.

Haley arrived with Jack, and they all sat on Hotch's hospital bed. Jack discovered the bed controls, and giggled as he made the bed sit up or lay down.

The adults made small talk before Hotch decided to bite the bullet, "Haley, it's okay if you are dating. You don't have to keep that from me."

Her eyes flashed with surprise, "Are you profiling me, Aaron?"

"I've known you since high school, I wouldn't call it profiling." Then Hotch smirked, "Plus, Jess told Sean."

Haley made an exasperated sound, "Those two gossip worse than old women! Yes, I am casually dating a man from the office. I would have told you if it got serious, or if I wanted to introduce him to Jack."

"I want you to be happy." Aaron tried to sound sincere, and he was, but he couldn't help but feel a little jealous that he wasn't dating, or moving on.

She reached out and took his hand, "I want you to be happy, too."

Jack chose that moment to jump onto his father, "Dada," managing to hurt his stomach wounds and his groin.

Hotch groaned as his eyes teared up. Despite the pain, he was grateful for the break in the uncomfortable conversation.

They spent the remainder of the day in the hospital room. Haley entertained Jack, while Hotch went through several checks by the nurses and Dr Mills.

"Jackster! Give your uncle some skin!" Sean said, grabbing the boy as he entered the room, making the little boy squeal.

They practiced high fives while Hotch signed documents, and listened to the nurse's instructions on aftercare.

Finally discharged, he said his goodbyes to Jack and Haley as Sean pulled the SUV up to the hospital doors.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch glanced around his apartment, and noted that there was nothing out of place. His carpet was the exact same shade as before. The wall was a bit shiny, the paint was probably still drying. As he headed to the bedroom, he realized that his house was spotless. Hotch kept a clean house but there wasn't a trace of dust, and the air had a hint of lemon scent.

"Sean, did you clean?" Hotch called out as he changed out of his clothes.

"No, I rearranged your kitchen cabinets though. Your team cleaned."

Returning the living room, Hotch asked, "They cleaned my house?"

Sean was lounging on the couch, and flipping through the television channels, "Yeah. Emily and JJ wiped down all the dust and fingerprint stuff. Penelope vacuumed. Morgan supervised the workmen; that dude is a hard ass, ' _The carpet seam isn't down properly,'_ and Dave checked the whole place for any potential surprises that fucker Foyet may have left behind."

Hotch joined Sean on the couch, bracing himself on the armrest as he lowered his body into the seat. "I had no idea."

Snickering, Sean kept going, "And Dave said, he would be the one to go through your stuff in case you had any secret porn stashes."

"Oh for God's Sake," Hotch muttered.

"Don't worry, I told him that you keep it on the high shelf in your bedroom closet."

Reaching out, Hotch punched his brother in the arm, hurting himself in the process, "Ow! God, Sean that was in high school. You shouldn't have been in my room anyway."

The brothers laughed at the shared childhood memory of a nudie magazine.

Sean stopped changing channels, "You have a good team there. They love you."

Hotch nodded and turned his gaze to the tv, lost in thought.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next morning, Hotch slept in for the first time since, well, he simply couldn't remember. Possibly college?

He finished getting ready slowly, moving delicately as he tried to put his clothes on. His attempts at putting on his shoes failed; he was unable to bend over or cross his legs to bring his feet closer to his lap. He kicked them away in frustration and yelped at the blinding pain in his abdomen.

Ignoring his inner monologue, he stepped into the living room and saw Sean was still asleep on the couch. Coffee could wait, Hotch thought. He sat on his bed, and called Dave.

"Emily is cleared but she is on medical leave until next week. Spencer is on medical leave for two weeks, then office duty for another four weeks. Your status is indefinite until they get clearance from your doctor." Dave filled him in over the phone.

"Is the team on stand down?" Hotch asked.

"Yes, we are all on desk duty. Morgan has two custodial interviews coming up, and JJ is running her consults by me. I honestly have no idea what Garcia is doing, but she said something about upgrading her babies so I let her be."

"Yes, I don't ask. Just watch her purchase order requests, she'll sneak in items that are not needed, or budgeted. Last quarter she submitted an order for a 3D Printer so she could make Dr. Who figurines for Reid's birthday."

"Oh God," Dave laughed, "Anyway, Strauss has asked me to sit in on a few meetings in your absence."

Hotch smirked as he ended the call, wondering about how long Dave will last in a meeting with Accounting.

The rest of the day was filled with Sean ordering Hotch around. "Sit on the couch; eat this; and you have to see this crazy video on YouTube." He tried to get his older brother to watch the television series, Weeds, with no luck. His next choice, Numbers was laughable, a mathematical genius solving crimes for the FBI, Hotch rolled his eyes. Hotch took the remote away after Sean put on Dexter. Finally, they agreed to watch a X-Men movie.

Over dinner, the men talked; Sean sharing about his new girlfriend.

"I will have to head back in the morning." said Sean, "You'll have to get someone else to entertain you, and cook for you."

Nodding, Hotch said, "I'll be fine."

"I'm glad you are okay, Aaron. Morgan said that asshole was going to go after Haley and Jack."

Hotch grimaced, "I am glad Prentiss killed him. I wouldn't have minded killing him with my bare hands."

Sean slapped him on shoulder, "Such a badass chick, man. And she's like super hot."

"Oh for the love of…" Hotch scrubbed at his face, "First JJ, and now Prentiss. Perhaps you should stop dating chefs, and start dating girls that carry guns."

They laughed, and resumed watching television. Hotch's focus was not on the show; he kept remembering the attack, and Emily's beautiful face battered by a monster.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: This chapter was brought to you by the best beta on planet Earth, Natzinoo...

 **Chapter 42**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Sean stocked Hotch's kitchen with groceries and prepared several meals, tucking them away in the freezer, before flying back to New York. Haley arrived with Jack soon after he left, and they kept Hotch too busy to focus on his non-stop analysis of the Foyet attack.

By the next day, he was alone and bored. His apartment was too small, and too clean. He had nothing to occupy his time. He called Dave to check in on the team before settling down in the living room. There was nothing on television despite the 100 channels to choose from; he simply refused to follow Sean's suggestion and watch the CSI marathon. Hotch scoffed at the law enforcement portrayals on television.

Hotch paced, and called Dave to check on the expense reports, then called him back a few minutes later to remind him to approve the vacation requests. He checked his email, both personal and work, which only took about twenty minutes. Hotch called Morgan to give him a quick reminder of custodial interview guidelines.

He grabbed a bag of pretzels from the cabinet, and settled down in the living to read. Within thirty minutes, he had finished up the last of the books Prentiss had loaned it to him.

Not allowed to drive, Hotch felt trapped. He called Dave again but that jackass had stopped taking his calls. At this point, Morgan was already inside the maximum security prison for the custodial interview.

He called JJ to ask for consults he could work on from home but she refused, "I can't. You are on medical leave."

"JJ, it's just some case files."

She sighed, "Hotch, I'm sorry."

They hung up, and Hotch groaned. He reorganized his book, dvds, and cds, while muttering to himself. He found an old favorite in between two larger textbooks, sitting down to read again.

About ten minutes later there was a knock on the door, Hotch was surprised to see Prentiss on the other side.

"Prentiss?"

She smiled, her face looked worse than before, black and blue, with the scrapes scabbing over.

"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt anymore. Just tender to the touch."

Swallowing hard, he stepped back, holding the door open, "Come in."

Indicating the couch, he offered her a drink.

"No thanks." She looked around and picked up his book from the coffee table. "This is a classic."

"Yeah, an old favorite. I finished the two books you lent me. I enjoyed them. I could use more recommendations."

They talked about the books, causing Hotch to confess that he hadn't read for pleasure in along time. He had forgotten how nice it was to get into a good book. She promised him more books, "How about you come spend the rest of day at my house?"

He raised his eyebrow, tilting his head with an unasked question.

Prentiss huffed, her hands flying as she speed talked, "Fine! I may have called JJ to request some case files to do a few consults. Spencer is entertaining the boys. Louise is cooking up a storm and won't let me help. I'm bored. JJ said you were going stir crazy too, and I should get you out of the house."

Chuckling as he listened to her tirade, he asked, "So, we are going to be bored together?", although he knew he could never be bored with her.

"Let's start with a bookstore. It's not too much pressure for you physically to walk around a store, right? Then we go back to my place. God, that sounds so inappropriate!" She laughed, "And we can hang out with everyone. Louise invited the team for dinner."

"Sounds good. I want to see Reid anyway. How is he doing?" Hotch stood, putting away his book. He glanced around, picking up his coffee cup and pretzels, and taking them into the kitchen. Satisfied that nothing else was out of place, he nodded at Prentiss and they headed for the door.

"Reid's feeling a little better; I convinced him to take some Advil. He sucks at walking with the crutches. The boys are trying to copy him with their hockey sticks."

As they walked down his stairs, the tiny elevator broken again, she shed her light jacket leaving her in jeans and tshirt. Her black shirt was tight, pulling the designs across her chest. His eyes were drawn to her breasts, but before he could internally scold himself, the artwork caught his attention. There was a calendar with stick figures jumping, standing still, and literally tearing cartoon hearts apart. Puzzled, he glanced up and saw a playful smirk on her face.

Hotch shook his head, trying to quell the sudden stirring he felt from seeing her breasts jiggling as they went down the steps. Sheepishly, he grinned, "I can't figure out your shirt."

"I'll give you a clue," She said turning to face him fully, "It's a song."

"A song?" He asked as his eyes locked on to the stick figures.

They approached her sedan, and she clicked the remote to unlock the doors, "If you don't figure it out by the time we are done shopping, I'll take pity on you and tell you what it is."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Prentiss drove to a small bookstore near her home, tugging on his arm to show him a special section, "I think you will like these."

Hotch began flipping through books. He purused quite a few before finding one that interested him. Looking around, he saw Prentiss across the store, chatting with an employee. He joined her as the employee handed her a large stack of books.

"Did you find something?" She asked him as she caressed the spines of the books in front of her, sending a shiver down his own.

"Yes," Handing her the book, he looked at her stack. There were several children's books in the pile but the rest were from a variety of genres.

"Ooh good choice, Hotch, can I borrow it when you're done?"

As they left, a woman walking by stared at Prentiss' face, her hand coming up to her mouth, "Oh dear."

Prentiss smiled, and nodded at her, "I'm okay."

Hotch hoped the older woman didn't think he was responsible for hurting Emily. He was suddenly struck with a dark thought, and he growled as he realized that he _was_ the one responsible for hurting her. Foyet had come after _him_. And _he_ , SSAIC Aaron Hotchner, was the one who taunted the Reaper, who challenged him, who was unable to take the son of a bitch down! And Emily had ended up paying the price.

A touch on his arm brought him out of the darkness, Emily, no _Prentiss_ , he reminded himself, was looking at him with concern.

"Are you in pain, Hotch? Do you want me to take you home?" She asked, her eyes narrowed in concern.

"No, no, I'm fine." Glancing at her shirt once more, he sighed, "I feel like I know it."

Her smile lit up her face as they walked to her car, "Monday's blue."

"Hmm, Tuesday and Wednesday are gray. Okay, hold still," Hotch said and he gripped her arms and turned her to face him. "The third Monday is black."

Prentiss giggled, then covered her mouth with her hands, "Friday has a commonality."

The Friday stick figure was jumping for joy with tiny hearts surrounding him. It clicked in his mind and Hotch yelled out, "Friday, I'm in Love."

Embarrassed, he ducked his head as she bounced on her feet, clapping. "Let's go," he said as she began to hum the catchy tune.

In the car, Hotch had the shopping bag in his lap. He looked through her pile as she drove, "Vampires?"

"It's a vampire comedy!"

"Didn't realize that was a genre," he commented as he moved on to the next book cover with Victorian lady on the cover, "Romance?"

"Historical fiction about the British royal family."

A teenage girl in a pretty dress graced the next book, "Teen lit?"

"Dystopian society, and yes, it's for teen readers."

The final book had just an overflowing purse on the cover, this made him laugh, "Chick Lit, Prentiss?"

"The author's other books are freaking funny. She puts her characters in the most bizarre situations. And calling it chick lit is offensive, _Sir_."

Hotch looked at her, and she smirked at him. This was the woman who saved his life, his family's lives, and had her face smashed into the concrete for her troubles. He knew her so well as an Agent; it was like he had the ability to read her mind. Now, he was getting to know her on a personal level, through the glimpses he got into her private life, her personality without the professional mask. He found himself liking her more than he should.

"You really enjoy reading. Something you got from your father?"

"I suppose so, we always read and discussed books. But I think it was all the moving around, not staying in one place for very long; most of the time books were my only friends." She said sadly.

Turning the conversation a bit, Hotch tried to lighten the mood back up, "You have quite a few books here. How long does it take you to get through a stack like this?"

"Not as fast I as I would like. Between my boss and Liam, I rarely get to read." She answered cheekily, as she turned the corner, and pulled up in front of the brownstone. "Sir, I hope you are prepared for the chaos that is Spencer and the boys."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N:  
In case you are wondering about the book genres, here are the authors:

Vampire Comedy is Christopher Moore (I seriously love this author. He is quite funny in person too, been to several of his book signings... I might be stalking him on Twitter).

British Royals is Philippa Gregory (My beta, Natzinoo, and I were both reading her independently, and mentioned her offhand further cementing that we are twins separated by continents and years).

Dystopian society is Allie Condie (Matched series is wonderful)

Chick Lit is Sophie Kinsella (My fave is Undomestic Goddess)

Readers: Have you read any of these authors/books?

On the shirt, do you know the song Friday, I'm in Love by The Cure? My sister got me a tshirt that illustrates the song, "Monday's Blue, Tuesday Gray and Wednesday too, Thursday I don't care about you but Friday I'm in Love." It's super cute shirt. Google "The Cure Friday I'm in Love shirt" and you can see it. I would put the link on my Author Profile page but they get stripped there. Use the Amazing Google Machine to find it.


	43. Chapter 43

A/N: Thank you to Natzinoo for her guidance and friendship. And she's a pretty darn good Beta as well...

 **Chapter 43**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch carried the shopping bags as he followed Prentiss into the brownstone. The volume in the house was a quiet hum. The living room was a disaster; blankets, pillows, and toys were everywhere.

Declan and Reid were at the dining room table, sorting puzzle pieces as Liam danced around them, making his pterodactyl fly.

"Sort by color first." Declan said.

"No, edges first." Reid retorted.

"Mama, you're back. Mr. Hotch, Hi!" Liam tackle-hugged his mother, and she held him back before he could leap at Hotch.

"Chomper, we talked about this. Mr. Hotchner is hurt, just like Spencer so you can't be rough. If you can be gentle, you may go over a greet him."

Distressed, Liam walked over slowly, "Did a bad guy hurt you like Mama and Spencer?"

Hotch wanted to bend down to talk to the little boy but he couldn't quite pull it off without straining himself, so he half crouched over and smiled, "Yes, but your Mama got the bad guy, and he won't hurt anyone ever again."

Liam cheered then spied the bag in Hotch's hands, "Books!" He yelled, "Look, Declan. Books!"

Hotch surrendered the bag to the boys, and shook hands with Spencer. Louise popped out of the kitchen, and gave Prentiss a dirty look, mouthing "more books."

"Louise, it's so quiet in here. What did you promise them? A puppy?" Prentiss asked as she joined her friend in the kitchen.

Hotch pulled out a chair from the dining room table, and slowly lowered himself into it. "How are you feeling, Reid?"

The agents spoke about Reid's injury and the case for a while, as the two boys sat on the floor flipping through their new books.

The day went by quickly, Hotch fiddled with the puzzle pieces, sorting and putting a few together as they chatted. The boys kept him entertained. He hadn't spent much time around children, just Sean many years ago, and now Jack. The boys were so different, Declan approaching everything analytically, and Liam with his endless energy, bouncing from one game to another. Prentiss and Louise joined them at the table with tea and sandwiches. Hotch was surprised as Liam climbed into his lap to eat, declaring that Mr. Hotch was his best friend.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The team trickled in with Garcia arriving first. She was dragged around the house by Liam as he showed her where Reid slept, the real crutches, the fake hockey stick crutches, and his new books.

Dave came in with large casserole dish, followed by Morgan. JJ arrived with Will and their son, Henry. The large group separated into smaller groups. Dave, Louise, and Prentiss in the kitchen, while JJ joined Reid on the couch to let the boys look at Henry. Hotch, Morgan and Will sat at the table, chatting about Will's recent job interview.

Garcia flitted around the brownstone with her camera, only to be yelled at by everyone but the boys. They giggled as they hammed it up for the camera making silly faces and sticking out their tongues. Louise joined the kids, chatting with JJ, and cooing at Henry.

"May I list you as references? I can't list JJ." Will asked.

"Of course, man," Morgan told the police officer.

Hotch nodded his head in affirmation, "Will you have to change precincts?"

"No, same one. I don't get it, man. All these rules. In 'Nawlins, if you passed the detective exam and had your hours in, you could transfer right into the job. Here, I had to be an officer for six months before I could apply for a detective position." Will told them, his warm sleepy accent washing over them.

Cutting his eyes to JJ, Hotch observed as she smiled at Will as he chatted with her team. They were happy. A little family that came together despite distance, an unplanned pregnancy, and conflicting work schedules.

"I'm worried about being on long cases with JJ travelin' all the time." Will continued, "I won't have a regular shift schedule if I get the job."

Prentiss joined them at the table, rearranging with a few puzzle pieces, "You should talk to Louise. She minds Liam for me during the day and overnights when we are out on a case. She's a lifesaver."

"I'll let JJ know. You've known Louise for a while?" Will asked.

"For years, I think Declan was two when we met." Prentiss told him before she turned to holler at Louise, "Watch out, Louise. You might end up being the BAU nursery school."

Everyone laughed as Louise gave Henry a kiss, "I wouldn't mind this wee one, but that Prentiss boy." She shook her head in exasperation.

Liam kept on somersaulting around the living room, slamming into walls, unaware the adults were laughing at him, and his boundless energy.

Dinner was served buffet style as Declan and Reid didn't want to move the puzzle from the dining room table. The 1,500 piece puzzle was half way done, slowly revealing the image of two wolves below a full moon.

Louise made a plate for Declan, Liam, and Reid while Will took Henry from JJ so she could make a plate for herself.. "Eating a meal while it's still hot is truly a luxury," JJ informed them.

The remaining adults grabbed their meals and ate standing up in the kitchen or in chairs around the table.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Dave offered to drive Hotch home, and he happily accepted, allowing Prentiss to stay home with her family, and Spencer. As Dave pulled away from the curb, Hotch glanced over and grimaced. The older man had a smirk, one that Hotch knew well. David Rossi was about to get into Hotch's business.

"You have quite a family there, Aaron."

Hotch played along, "Yes, our team is becoming quite the family."

"You know that's not what I meant." Dave glanced over as Hotch shifted in his seat.

"Dave," He warned.

Of course the player with three marriages, and many love affairs under his belt didn't heed his warning, Hotch thought. He looked out the window and tried to ignore him.

Clearing his throat, Dave said, "I know Haley hurt you but you have an opportunity for love here. A real relationship with someone who understands you. With someone who has been in love with you since I've met her, probably longer."

Shocked, Hotch turned to look at Dave, wondering if the man was serious. Taking in the expression on Dave's face, Hotch realized that he wasn't kidding around. He closed his eyes and allowed his head to fall back against the headrest.

Did she really love him? Hotch asked himself. She definitely understood him, but in love with him? That's a stretch. Right?

The car slowed as Dave pulled up in front of Hotch's apartment building.

"Thanks for the ride." He said as he opened the car door.

"Think about it, Aaron."

Hotch shook his head at his mentor "It's not appropriate, Dave. Drop it."

He tried to push his Dave's words to the back of his head as he went about his nightly routine. There was no way she could be in love with him, it was a ridiculous notion. As he laid alone in his empty bed waiting for sleep to come, he couldn't help but let his mind wonder to what it would be like if she really was in love with him.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: I don't know anything about police vs detective hierarchy or hiring practices so let's just pretend Will's comments are legit…


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch's first day back in the office started with Garcia trying to file an official complaint about Reid. The young doctor had been cleared for office duty the previous week, and spent most of it in Garcia's office trying to "steal her thunder."

"But sir, he ruined my punchline."

He ushered her out of his office with promises to talk to Reid after they presented the case. The team was heading to Spokane, Washington, and he couldn't wait to get back in the field. Well, to be very honest, he was glad to get out of the office and away from his two quirky employees.

"Reid, please be nice to Garcia." Hotch called out as the elevator doors shut, smirking as Garcia glared at him. The group laughed as they rode down to the parking garage together.

The case ended with Morgan kicking down yet another door. Hotch sent the team back to the hotel as he closed the case with the locals, and glad handed the mayor.

On the drive to the hotel, Hotch took a few minutes to talk with Sean. His chef brother, and pastry chef girlfriend were going to come down for the weekend. Hotch's stomach growled as Sean described what meals they planned on making while they were visiting.

"Stop it, Sean. You are making me hungry."

"I can't make you hungry. You're hungry because you probably didn't eat all day. And for the record, coffee is not food."

"Is there anything you guys want to do while you are here? Other than cook for me?" asked Hotch.

"Is it bad that I want Jody to meet Jack? Is that weird?"

"It's great." Hotch assured his brother, "I will have him this weekend so no problems there."

Arriving at the hotel, Hotch knew his team would be at the bar. He settled into the booth next to Prentiss. Dave was holding a sleepy looking JJ upright as Morgan pushed his water glass over to her.

Hotch glared at them, "What happened here?"

Morgan threw his hands up in defence, "JJ had one beer. _One!_ "

Chuckling, Prentiss filled him in, "Her tolerance is low. She hasn't had a drink for over a year."

Morgan flagged down the server to order appetizers, and a pitcher of water.

"Good, I am hungry. Sean was going on and on about his new girlfriend, and her meringues and souffles."

"Is he coming to visit soon? Can he stay at my house?" Prentiss asked.

Morgan flicked his straw wrapper at her, "No way, I call dibs on Sean."

JJ joined the fight calling dibs on Sean's yummy girlfriend, "I mean yummy dessert making girlfriend."

Raucous laughter rung out from their table, drawing attention from the other patrons.

After eating, JJ headed upstairs to her hotel room, citing exhaustion. As the evening progressed, Morgan retired early.

"I'll bet he's going to soak in the tub since he doesn't have to share the room with Spencer," Prentiss told Dave and Hotch, "He has to be sore from breaking down the door and tackling the unsub."

"Men can take bubble baths," declared Dave from across them.

Prentiss and Hotch raised their eyebrows simultaneously, giving Dave an incredulous look.

"God, you two spend too much time together. You have the exact same look on your faces."

Clapping her hands, Prentis exclaimed, "Ooh Hotch, speaking of spending too much time together, I promised the boys a trip to the zoo this weekend. Want to come and bring Jack?"

"When are you going?" Hotch inquired, turning in his seat to face her.

They planned their outing to accommodate Hotch's visiting family, Jack's nap, and Declan's soccer practice. Turning back to face the front, Hotch was surprised that Dave had left.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Freshly showered, Hotch grabbed a book from his go bag. While he didn't prefer to share a room, it didn't bother him to have a roommate. However, he could honestly say that he didn't care for full sized beds at all. Grumbling, he climbed in.

Dave looked over from the other bed, where he was flipping channels on the tv, "Scratchy sheets?"

"No, well yeah, but these beds are so short. I hate when my feet hang off the end. I'm not that tall." Hotch complained, "Anyway, where did you run off to tonight?"

"Didn't want to crowd the old married couple. Wanted to give you some alone time without the kids."

Whipping his head around to look at Dave, Hotch said, "Married? Again, Prentiss and I are not in a relationship."

"Yeah, you are! The team thinks of you as Mom and Dad. You do everything together. You may as well as be married. Except sex, are you having sex?" Dave asked with a grin, and Hotch glared at him, "So, no sex? That further illustrates my point. Married!"

Hotch huffed, "We are not married."

"She's a beautiful woman who can't keep her eyes off of you; you could do worse."

Hotch leaned back against the pillows, and opened his book as he let his thoughts wander. "She is beautiful," he muttered quietly to himself.

Dave had been saying that Emily loved him. What if she really did? If she liked him, even a fraction of how much he adored her, then it could be something. Something amazing. He couldn't let something like self doubt stop him from pursuing her. Even if she wasn't in love with him, yet, well he could work with that.

He drifted off to sleep recalling her beautiful face, cataloging each feature from her silky hair, creamy skin, full red lips, to her dark intense eyes.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N:

A Message from me: I know I haven't updated in awhile, but I assure you this story is completely written out. All the way to the epilogue! But the story is only edited up to this chapter. Re-reading, editing, and then having my beta edit, then we go back and forth re-reading and editing around five or six times. But not to worry, this story, and any story I post, is already completed. However each chapter is edited one at a time. This takes TIME, so much time especially when Real Life comes into play!

A Message from my dear sweet beta, Natzinoo, about her story Forever a Family: "I know I left you hanging, but just keep holding on, Forever a Family is not dead. I feel bad it's been so long, but this year was crazy for me. But I am in no way abandoning the story! Can't wait to start updating again soon :)"


	45. Chapter 45

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Hotch liked Jody, and he told Sean so a couple of times before his brother finally believed him. They spent the several days together. Hanging out, cooking at home, and joining the Prentiss, Thatcher, and Reid clans at the zoo. Although, Hotch didn't get any of the promised meringue, many of Sean and Jody's collaborations hit the spot.

On Sunday, the Hotchner family found themselves in Louise's side of the brownstone making cupcakes with the boys. Jack was in charge of hitting the silver mixing bowl with a wooden spoon as Liam and Declan helped Jody mix ingredients. Louise and Jody remained behind to supervise as Sean, Prentiss, and Hotch headed next door for drinks.

"Liam sure loves Aaron," Sean commented.

Prentiss smiled prettily, "He does; he adores his 'Mr. Hotch'. It's funny, each kid has a favorite. Declan loves Spencer and Henry is attached to Penelope."

She opened a bottle of cabernet and poured out three glasses. They enjoyed a glass in the living room, embracing the silence. They talked and laughed for several minutes before they needed to return next door.

Prentiss grabbed a whiskey bottle in addition to the wine and the two brothers helped her carry the drinks back over to Louise and Declan's house.

Jack had abandoned his drumming and was sitting on top of the kitchen island with Liam, kneading dough with their hands. Louise stood close by and kept Jack from putting the sticky substance in his mouth.

"Just in time," Louise said as accepted the whiskey, and inclined her head towards Jody, "Sean, you best keep this girl happy. She's a smart one."

Jody smiled, accepting the wine from Sean. "She's just happy that I got Jack into a quiet activity,"

Declan worked closely with Jody and Sean to add the finishing touches on dinner. The group settled down for to eat.

"So, how long have you and Emily been together?" Jody asked Hotch.

He promptly choked on his drink, sputtering into his napkin, "What?"

Prentiss blushed, her ivory skin pinking along the tops of her cheeks , "We are just friends, Jody. We work together."

Louise coughed into her napkin as Sean patted Hotch on the back.

"I'm sorry. It's just you guys are so coupley, I mean, you are so at ease with each other. And your kids love you guys like you're a family. Oh my god, Sean, please pass me your plate so I have something to put in my mouth other than my foot," rambled Jody, her face flaming red in embarrassment.

Sean passed over his half eaten cupcake, and Jody immediately took a bite.

"Don't worry, Jody." Hotch said, "It seems to be the running theme among our team."

"And Louise," Prentiss muttered under her breath.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Sean and Jody left to catch the train to New York. Louise planned on wrestling Declan into the bath so Prentiss invited Hotch back to her place. Liam brought as many toys as he could carry down to the living room where he and Jack played.

Hotch poured them more wine as Prentiss grabbed sippy cups for the boys.

"No wonder everyone thinks we are married," Hotch remarked, "This is very domestic."

She threw her head back and laughed, "I think it's because we have young kids."

They settled on the couch, watching the boys play together.

"You haven't dated since?" Hotch tipped his head towards Liam.

Taking another sip of her wine, she followed Hoch's eyeline to her son. Her little boy with the bright blue eyes that must have come from his father. She shook her head, "No dating since that whole mess. I knew going in that it would end badly but I did get Liam out of it."

"Are you okay?" He grew concerned as she blinked away tears.

"He was very controlling. It ended the best way it could." She shivered.

Hotch scooted across the couch and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close. She leaned in and closed her eyes. Hotch felt his stomach clench, she felt so good in his arms. So good. He dropped his face into her hair and sighed.

Before he could analyze his feelings, Liam interrupted.

"Mama, Jack wants to watch Land Before Time."

Liam standing in front of them, holding Jack's hand.

"Funny, I didn't think Jack could speak that well." Hotch said to Liam as the boy clambered onto his lap. Jack reached his arms out and Prentiss pulled him up and settled him on her lap.

"Jack, do you want to watch a dinosaur movie?" She asked him as he stood on the top of her thighs, squeezing her face with his hands.

"Dino say roar, roar!"

Liam roared to Jack and then addressed his mother, "See, Mama!"

"All right, Mr. Jack and Mr. Liam. Let's go get the movie. Which one?"

"Two, Mama." Liam pushed off of Hotch's lap and onto Prentiss' back.

Hotch watched as she put Jack on her hip and had Liam hanging from her shoulders as she made her way to the entertainment center.

"Is that a VCR?"

"Don't laugh. I didn't want to replace all of my movies just because technology moved forward. I have a big classics collection on VHS."

The boys sat in front of the tv with dinosaur toys in their hands, Liam providing Jack with a commentary at they watched.

Prentiss rejoined Hotch on the couch, tucking her legs in as she sat down. Feeling bold and comfortable, Hotch resumed the dating discussion, "I haven't dated since college and I wouldn't have called it dating."

"Hooking up with Hotch!" She swatted his arm, "Well, I dated quite a bit before Liam and it's not all that it's cracked up to be."

He watched the cartoon dinosaurs play on the television screen. He spoke softly, his voice husky, "I never took Kate out on a proper date."

This time, it was Prentiss scooting closer. She pulled his hand into hers, lightly tracing patterns over the back of his hand. "Do you think she would have wanted to date long distance?"

"No, she said she didn't want complications or a relationship, just fun."

"And I assume you had fun?" She asked and he nodded jerkily, his head bopping, "Then she got what she wanted. Fun and excitement. That's not so bad."

"I feel responsible for her death."

She kept staring at his large hand in hers, rubbing along the back with the tips of her fingers, "I can understand that."

Liam squealed, and pointed to the screen, "Do you see that, Jack? That's baby Chomper!"

Hotch couldn't help buut smile at Liam's exuberance, "That's where you got Liam's nickname!"

They continued watching the movie, Hotch keeping his hand in Prentiss'. Jack succumbed to sleep in front of the tv. Liam followed closely behind, sprawling out on the ground. The adults exchanged a look.

"I should take Jack home." Hotch said.

"Stay," she whispered, her brown eyes darkening until they matched the pupils.

Hotch placed his other hand over their combined one, "Okay, I'll just grab a blanket for them."

They released hands, and Hotch went upstairs. He used the bathroom and washed his face, staring at himself in the mirror, "This is it."

He went into Liam's room to grab a blanket and stopped to look around. The room was beautifully decorated for the little boy, with a jungle theme and dinosaurs everywhere the eyes could see.

Hotch headed to Prentiss' bedroom, purposely not looking around the clean, orderly yet feminine room, and grabbed a throw from her arm chair before heading back downstairs.

After tucking the boys under the blanket, he returned to her, to Emily, not Prentiss. He sighed, his thoughts a jumble. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to kiss her, to do so much more. But his mind kept begging him to think of her as his subordinate.

She spread the blanket over their legs, and change the tv channel away from the children's movie. She smoothed her hands over the blanket nervously.

Turning to look at her, he felt a little breathless. He brushed the back of his hand lightly across her cheek, "Emily, what are we doing?"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Hello friends, this chapter has not been beta'd so all mistakes are mine. Please let me know if you see a glaring error or poor grammar and I will correct.


	46. Chapter 46

~~~~~CM~~~~~

She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch for just a moment. Pulling away, she locked eyes with him, "I don't know, Hotch."

"Perhaps it's time you call me Aaron," He said while reaching out again, tucking her hair behind her ear.

She breathed, "Aaron," and he felt his heart beat a little harder.

"I haven't allowed myself to think about this, about you. I keep calling you Prentiss, even in my head," he confessed.

Her expression turned sad, "I wonder if…"

"If what, Emily?"

"You don't…, eh, I think," huffing, she stopped herself for a moment to gather her thoughts, "Are you sure you are actually feel something for me or is everyone's interfering and gossiping pushing you to me?"

He turned to face her fully, "I have always been attracted to you. You are a beautiful woman. But it's more than that, I am happy when I am with you. I want to be with you. What are you thinking? Are you interested in something more than friendship?"

She smiled softly, reaching her hand out to hold his again and stated simply, "Yes."

He leaned forward, untangling his legs from the blanket, and pulled his hand from hers. Aaron brought his hands up to cup her face gently. He held her gaze for a moment before moving in close and pressing his lips lightly to hers.

Her hands gripped his arms, squeezing his biceps softly and she pulled herself up a little higher to kiss him back.

"Emily," He said as his lips left hers, their foreheads resting against each other.

A small giggle escaped and he drew back to see what was making her laugh.

Rolling her big brown eyes, "I think I watch too much cable or read too many smutty stories. I half expected us to be doing it against a wall by now."

Aaron laughed heartily, "Yes, in front of our sleeping children no less."

He sat back on the couch, tugging at her until she straddled his legs. He pushed her hair behind her ears again and she settled over him. "I do want to do this right. Take things slow," then he continued with smirk on his face, "although against a wall is quite appealing."

"And in your office," Emily smiled and kissed him, slipping her tongue into his mouth.

"Oh God!" He groaned.

"And in the SUV with your vest on."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A unplanned sleepover with children required some effort on the parts of their parents. After a detailed discussion, they decided that Jack would bunk with Liam as his twin bed had a side rail so the younger child wouldn't fall out. They carried their children upstairs and into Liam's room.

Emily woke Liam and helped him use the bathroom. The boy's sleepwalking and incoherence made them laugh. Hotch changed Jack's diaper gently, trying not to wake him.

After tucking in their children in together, Aaron held out his hand to Emily and escorted her to the master bedroom. She shut the door behind them and quickly walked to the nightstand to turn on the baby monitor. Spinning around, she locked eyes with him and crooked her finger at him, "Come're, Aaron."

Two long strides, and he was across the room, kissing her hard. Pulling her body flush against his, her arms circled his neck. Their kisses were warm and wet, his hands roaming as she clutched him tighter.

After a few minutes, Emily loosened her grip and looked up at him, "Slow, huh? We officially started dating twenty minutes ago and here we are in my bedroom making out."

"This is strictly PG," he smirked at her, "Over the clothes."

"PG-13 as your hands were…"

He interrupted her with a searing kiss, walking her backward until the back of her legs hit the bed. Giving her a little push, Emily sat on the bed with Aaron standing between her legs.

Bending down, he kissed her softly, "I am going to use the restroom and then I am going to join you in bed. To sleep and perhaps a little PG-13 making out." He paused to kiss her again, "I do want to take my time with you. I want to give us a chance for something real, something good."

Stepping backwards, he released her face from his warm hands, "You wouldn't have an extra toothbrush, would you?"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Standing in her bathroom, Aaron clutched the counter and breathed deeply, begging his body to respond to reason. He had to control his arousal so he could share a bed with Emily.

Brushing his teeth, he couldn't help but recall the taste of her mouth. She was intoxicating.

He began to undress, stopping at his undershirt. If he removed this, she would see the map of angry red scars across his chest. Well, he chuckled, arousal problem solved. He lost his erection with a quick glance at his chest.

He hadn't considered this, being naked with her. Being a victim in front of her. He washed his face, remembering her battered face after the Foyet ordeal. She had worn her battle scars bravely and openly. Maybe she wouldn't see him as a victim but as a survivor. He started to pull his shirt up, and then tugged it back down. He would deal with this another day.

Aaron returned to the bedroom in plain blue boxers and white t-shirt, and Emily let out a giggle.

"Well, that doesn't make a man feel good." He said to the woman standing across the room in sleep pants with cartoon cats all over them and loose t-shirt.

"It's just, well, I have never seen so much of you before. You have such strong powerful legs. It's just, I mean…" Emily walked over to him, "I am nervous. Seeing you like this, it's like nothing I imagined. You are much more… oh God!"

Her words trailed off and her hands picked up, tracing his chest and broad shoulders through his shirt.

"You imagined what I would look like?" His voice was husky and low, his confidence growing, "Tell me. Tell me what you imagined."

"Aaron," She moaned his name, "I imagined you in a suit. Always in a suit, never imagined you would be so built." Her hands smoothed downward to his stomach, "Oh, God, your abs."

Groaning, he stilled her hands, "Emily, PG-13."

"But all my fantasies were X Rated."

They were laughing as they climbed into bed together. He pulled her into his arms and she tucked her head into his chest. Contentment.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: As I wrote this chapter, the song by Arctic Monkeys, Do I Wanna Know, kept playing in my head.

"It's just I'm constantly on the cusp of trying to kiss you

I don't know if you feel the same as I do

But we could be together if you wanted to"

This chapter is un-beat'd so all mistakes are mine.

Come over to Tumblr and say Hi! I'm GoodGodHenry.


	47. Chapter 47

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Despite his intention of keeping his hands over her clothes, he woke with his hands rubbing the bare skin at the small of Emily's back.

Enjoying the closeness, the intimacy, Aaron couldn't stop what his sleeping hands had started. He slid his hand further up her back and buried his face in her black silky hair. She wiggled in closer in, letting out a small sigh.

The sound of Jack's babbling and Liam's giggles came through the monitor. Aaron released his hold on Emily, and slid out of the bed carefully. She reached out for him in her sleep, and instead found his pillow. Clutching it to her body, she snuggled deeper into the comforter.

Aaron turned off the baby monitor and let himself out of the bedroom, closing the door gently behind him. Joining the boys in Liam's room, he was overcome with a surge of emotions.

Liam and Jack were sitting up in the bed, talking while each held a stuff animal.

"Mr. Hotch, Jack is having a sleepover with me."

"Dada!" Jack put his arms up in a request to be picked up.

Bending over, Aaron picked up Jack and cuddled him to his chest, kissing his fine sandy hair, "Good morning, Jack and Liam."

Liam reached up his arms and Aaron tucked Jack into one arm before lifting Liam up into the other.

"Liam, your mama is sleeping. Would you like to help me make her breakfast?"

The morning with Liam was an eye opening experience, Aaron learned about potty seats, teeth and hair brushing and getting dressed. Apparently, the Prentiss OCD tendencies were genetic and applied to hyper toddlers.

Coming down into the messy living room, Aaron realized this was probably the first time in his life he hadn't straighten up before going to bed.

He instructed Jack and Liam to play, while he cleaned up sippy cups, wine glasses, and folded blankets.

The boys joined him in the kitchen, Liam offered Jack his booster seat and the older boy stood on a chair in order to reach the table. Hotch sliced up bananas and strawberries to keep the boys busy while he whipped up scrambled eggs.

Emily padded into the kitchen in her bare feet, "Now, this is a sight to see."

Aaron handed her a plate, and resisted the urge to kiss her mouth, caressing her hand instead.

They enjoyed a quiet morning, the boys played while the adults held hands and cuddled on the couch. The conversations remained light until midday, when they both spoke at the same time.

"We have to tell the team and Strauss."

"I have to tell Haley."

Emily smoothed her hair down and exhaled slowly, "She's going to hate me."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Haley smiled brightly as Jack ran to her, screaming "Mommy!" at the top of his lungs.

Leaning on the doorframe, Aaron matched her smile, "He missed you."

"Ellafants! Iam and Dec! Unca and Jack feed gee-affes quackers."

The little boy babbled to his mother and she turned to her ex husband for translation, "I hear Elephants and crackers? And come in already, Aaron."

He followed her inside, and into the living room where Jack was checking his toys, "We went to the zoo with Sean and his girlfriend. We met Emily and the boys there. The kids got to feed the giraffes crackers."

"Really? Isn't that dangerous?" Haley asked, her eyes roving over Jack as if she was scanning him for injuries.

Nodding in agreement, Aaron told her, "Sean covered Jack's hand in his own before letting the giraffe anywhere near them. But the giraffes just used their tongues to grab the crackers." He wrinkled his nose, "I have to say, their long black tongues were gross."

Haley chuckled, "Sounds like fun, though."

Aaron ran his hand through his black hair leaving the strands at the crown standing up, and hesitated before speaking.

"Out with it, Aaron."

"We said we would discuss dating and introducing anyone to Jack." He started, and Haley nodded encouragingly.

Not knowing what to do with his hands, Aaron placed them in his lap. He didn't think he was ever this nervous, not even his first time in front of a judge.

"Well, I went about this the wrong way, and it happened so fast and I didn't have the opportunity to discuss it with you."

"Who are you dating?" She asked gently, her expression confused rather than angry.

"That's the thing, we haven't even dated yet. But last night, I mean Jack was with me, he knows her. We didn't sleep together." He groaned and rubbed his face with his hands, "No, we slept together but we didn't have sex."

Aaron leaned forward and dropped his face into his hands. This was more mortifying than explaining the birds and bees to Sean when they were young. And now his ex-wife was laughing at him. Out loud, guffawing, at HIM.

"Are you talking about Emily?" She asked in between chortles.

Surprised, his head snapped up. "How did you know?"

"Didn't you know when I was dating? We've known each other forever. Plus you spend most of your time with her, and her son." Haley crossed the room and sat down beside him. "It's okay, Aaron. Although, I think you have been dating her for months and didn't even realize it."

Groaning, he sat back up, "Dave, the team, Louise, Sean, his girlfriend, and you. All of you knew."

Haley laughed again, "Oh Aaron, you are so sweet. I appreciate you telling me. I know this was hard for you. Emily is a good person and she already knows Jack."

"Thank you for being so understanding."

Jack climbed into his mother's lap, cuddling her with a truck in his hand. Haley shifted so the plastic toy wouldn't be permanently embedded in her stomach, and caressed his hair. Slipping her hands over his ears, Haley whispered to Aaron, "But if Jack ever calls her Mommy, I will end her."

This time, Aaron was the one laughing, and Jack joined in.

"I will let Emily know."

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	48. Chapter 48

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Prentiss, can you come into my office please?" Aaron asked from the walkway above the bullpen.

They had been together officially for three weeks, kisses and PG-13 make-outs limited to when they were off the clock. Emily was not pleased with the constant workload, blaming the unsubs on ruining her chances for a glimpse into "Aaron's X rated moves."

"Hotch?" She asked as she settled down in the chair in front of his desk.

He held up a form, "You are requesting seven days of leave? Are you going to Greece?"

"I forgot about to tell you about that. I put in the request last month."

Nodding, he placed the document back on his desk, "I'm behind in approving expense reports and vacation requests. I haven't been taking work home with me in the evenings."

"I am curious as to what has you so occupied in the evenings, sir."

Unable to stop himself, he flashed a dimple at her before schooling his expression into that of the stoic unit chief, "Prentiss, you have over 30 days of personal time banked; that does not include your sick time. Would you like to take more time? Strauss has authorized two weeks of annual leave for the whole team."

"No, thank you. Five days with my parents is more than enough even with Liam, Declan and Louise there as a buffer. Seven days off means one day of travel, five days with my parents, and a day of travel back. I can lie and blame Strauss for not giving us enough vacation time while playing the dutiful daughter. It's a win win situation."

Aaron nodded, "I can understand that. Is Louise going to keep the boys there longer? You'll be home alone?"

"Yes, for another week." Emily crossed her legs, and leaned back in her chair, "Should have I made the vacation request for a little longer?"

"Perhaps your boyfriend would like to take you on a mini vacation."

Laughing, Emily raised her eyebrows at him, "We haven't gone on a date yet and you are ready to vacation together?"

He pinched the narrow area at the top of his nose, shutting his eyes, "Oh God, you are right. We jumped right into a relationship. No courting."

She snorted at him, "Courting? How old are you?"

"Can you get Louise to watch Liam Friday night? Barring any cases, I would like to take you out on a date. And then in two months, I would like to take you on vacation." Aaron stood up and circled around to the front of his desk. He sat on the edge, "Do you think your supervisor would approve a two week leave?"

Emily looked around his office, noting the closed blinds and door. She reached up and grabbed his tie, pulling her body up, sliding against his, "I think my supervisor could be convinced."

They shared a heated kiss, his tongue sweeping into her mouth as his hands cupped her bottom, kneading and rubbing until his desk phone rang.

"Ugh." Releasing her warm body, Aaron shifted around and picked up the handset, "Hotchner."

Emily dropped into the chair and running her fingers through her hair to smooth it back down.

"Thanks, Dave." He dropped the phone back down, and fixed his collar and tie, "Strauss is on her way down."

"Retuck your shirt on the right side," Emily assessed her clothing, and then rubbed the skin around his mouth, removing her lipstick smudges, before grabbing her vacation request off his desk.

Aaron handed her a pen and sat in his chair, pulling it up as Strauss gave a perfunctory knock and opened the door.

"Aaron, I didn't realize you were meeting with Agent Prentiss."

He stood, "Come in; Prentiss was just finishing up her annual leave paperwork."

Handing him the updated form, Emily smiled, "Thank you, Hotch." She nodded to Strauss before leaving his office.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Friday had arrived and the team was in town. Emily had confirmed Louise would watch Liam, and had offered to keep him overnight. Jack was with Haley until Sunday. Now, all Aaron had to do was plan a romantic first date.

Flowers, dinner and wine. Or is that a second date? First dates were dinner and a movie, right? Giving up on the internal dialogue with himself, he wandered over to Dave's office.

"Ah, Supervisory Special Agent In Charge Aaron Hotchner." Dave smirked from behind the desk, "Here to ask the esteemed David Rossi for love advice."

Aaron glared at him as he sat down, "Advice. I could teach you a lesson or two."

"Yeah, that's why Strauss almost busted you. You have to check her schedule before making out in your office. May I recommend the 4th floor supply closet?"

Humbled, Aaron ducked his head to Dave, "Thanks for the head's up the other day."

"So, you need a restaurant recommendation?"

"I have yet to figure out how you know everything." He grumbled to the older man. "Yes, please. Need first date advice. Dinner and movie seems like first date but I want to spend time with her, talk to her, not sit silently next to her staring at a big screen."

Dave opened his desk drawer and dug around in there for a minute before pulling out a business card, "This place is perfect. It's a small restaurant with a band. You can have good food and watching the band will help with lulls in the conversation."

This appealed to Aaron, since he was doubting his dating skills, "Dressy?"

"Nice, not black tie."

Aaron stood, "Dave, thank you for this," he held up the card, "And for saving my ass from Strauss."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron stood in front of Emily's door with a several stalks of delphinium flowers in varying shades of purple and a hardcover book. Sucking in a deep breath, he raised his hand and knocked. After a few moments, he heard her quick steps on the other side of the door.

The door swung inward, revealing Emily in a tight purple dress. Aaron felt his breath catch as he felt stirrings below. He wanted to run his hands all over her dress, actually to be honest with himself, he wanted to slide that purple fabric down her body until she was completely nude.

She cleared her throat and he realized he had been standing there, lost in his dirty fantasy. Aaron held out the bouquet, "Emily, you are so beautiful."

Emily accepted the flowers and leaned in, kissing his cheek. The scent of her perfume enveloped him, and he lingered after the kiss, brushing his hand down the bare skin of her arm.

"Come in." She directed him inside, "I have to put these in water. It's such a gorgeous and unusual arrangement."

His jaw dropped as he followed her to the kitchen; her dress was backless. All that creamy white skin begging to be touched. He groaned, shifting his focus as she put the long stems into a simple clear vase.

She caught his eye and smiles, "These are delphiniums?"

"Yes, I didn't want to give you generic roses. I looked up flower meanings and these made me think of you."

A nervous laugh escaped, and Emily ducked her head, "Do I want to know?"

Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her deeply, "Big Hearted and Fun. You have brought fun into my life, and Emily, you have the biggest heart of anyone I know."

His hands slid down and cupped her bottom, God, he loved her ass. Walking her backwards into the kitchen counter, he lifted her up and stood between her legs. He couldn't keep his hands off the silky material of her dress as he nuzzled her neck and lower into her cleavage.

"Big hearted, I think you mean big chested."

He laughed, the sound muffled by her breasts. Popping his head up, he gave her a naughty smirk, "That too!"

"Oh, Aaron," She peppered him with kisses, "And the book?"

"I remembered you liked the author. The kid at the store said it's high brow adult comedy, a remake of King Lear as told by the Court Jester."

Swiping her tongue against his lips, "I love that you get me. I'm not a typical roses and jewelry kind of girl."

He groaned into her mouth.

"Shall we skip dinner?" Emily asked as she ran her fingers through his short dark hair.

"Yes, wait, no. No! Stop distracting me. We are going to dinner, a real date." He stepped back and pulled her off the counter. Swatting her butt, he ordered her to find her shoes.

Emily turned and smiled at him, "What? No 'Wheels Up in 5 minutes'?"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: The book is Fool by Christopher Moore and it is funny, very very funny.

This chapter is un-beta'd - all mistakes are mine.

Come say Hi on Tumblr: GoodGodHenry, I don't bite!


	49. Chapter 49

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The restaurant was dark, and the music could only be described as sultry. Emily shook her head at him from across the table, "If we dance, I won't be able to keep my hands to myself and we'll miss dinner."

They ordered their meals and a bottle of wine. Aaron tried to ignore Emily's moans as she enjoyed each sumptuous bite. She barely put her fork down before he went around the table and pulled her up into his arms.

Dancing slowly, he kept their bodies apart, holding his frame tight. As the next song played, he gave up and pulled her in close. He could feel her body heat, and his hands slid up from the silky material at her waist and across her bare back.

"God, Em," he breathed into her ear, "I don't think I can wait any longer."

A sly grin moved across her face and ran a finger down his chest, "Shall we go?"

Aaron couldn't wait to get her out of the restaurant and into bed. After she climbed into his car, he jogged around to climb into the driver's seat.

"I think your place is closer," she said as her hand traveled up his thigh.

"God, you are smart," He drove quickly, pushing the pedal down hard as the car's engine revved.

Emily's hands were all over him as they drove then they managed to go two flights of stairs in his building before he had pushed her up against the concrete wall. Kisses, touches, and his shirt was unbuttoned by the four floor. She was carrying her heels as he carried her in a fireman lift up the last flight before opening his apartment door, her laughter was music to his ears.

Shutting the door with his foot, he slowly put Emily down. She spun around and shoved him against the door. He braced himself as she shoved his suit jacket and dress shirt down his arms, kicking them away. Her hands reached for his belt buckle, and he groaned.

She slid down to her knees, taking his pants and briefs with her. They pooled around his ankles, restricting his movements.

A moment later, Aaron's hands slammed backwards against the door as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

He didn't know if it had been minutes or hours, but he found himself sitting on the floor with his back against the apartment door; Emily in his lap. She was tugging at his undershirt. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, and realized he was about to be completely nude and she was still dressed.

Kissing her deeply, he maneuvered his pants back on before standing. He reached down and pulled her up and then scooped her up into his arms.

A few short steps away and Aaron laid her out on his bed. He kissed his way up her body, "Now it's my turn."

"Exquisite," he murmured.

Slowly, he took her apart until she was trembling. After her second orgasm, she dozed lightly, and he laid on his side next to her, running the tips of his fingers across her body.

Her dark eyes opened suddenly, "You're still dressed."

She sprung up, and crouched over him, turning him until he was laying flat on his back. She straddled him and tugged at his plain white t-shirt.

Hesitating, Aaron covered her hands with his, "Em, my scars."

"I saw them when they were open wounds, babe." She shook off his hands, "You can't scare me off."

Sighing, he allowed her to remove his shirt and waited for her look of disgust.

She laughed at him. Emily Prentiss, the woman he loved, laughed at him. A small chortle turned into a full bodied laugh. He might have been angrier about her reaction if her bare chest didn't heave at she laughed. Her beautiful breasts hung over him as she rubbed each scar.

Aaron reached up and pinched her nipples lightly, "What. Is. So. Funny?" He asked as he pinched tighter with each word.

Inhaling a sharp breath, she leaned in. "Mmm, um. Ahhh!"

He flipped them over and pinned her arms above her head. Grinding into her, he asked again, "What is so funny?"

"Ohh, your poor chest hair. It's uneven now."

He had been expecting the typical lecture on surviving, on not being a victim, how scars prove we came out ahead; instead his crazy girlfriend was worried about a few bare patches.

Laughing, he rolled his eyes at her, "Your OCD is out of control. Not everything has to be even."

She thrust up against him and muttered, "Yes, it does."

Drunk on his arousal, Aaron nodded his head, "Okay, you win. Everything needs to be even."

Dipping down, he began kissing her neck as she used her feet to remove his pants.

With them both completely nude, they finally made love for the first time.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Come say Hi on Tumblr: GoodGodHenry


	50. Chapter 50

~~~~~CM~~~~~

On Monday morning, Aaron was reviewing the case notes in the conference room. The team drifted in with their coffee cups and tablets. Spencer sat to his right, flipping through his paper files; he could read faster and absorb more with the hard copies of the files, opting to use the tablets on the road.

Unable to help himself, Aaron watched Emily as she entered the room and then forced himself to look away.

Dave was the last to arrive, slipping into the seat next to Emily, "Did you enjoy the restaurant? Did the house band play or did they have a guest band?"

Aaron's eyes flew up from the bloody photo on his screen, and Emily froze mid-reach for her cup.

Raucous laughter rang out around the table. Reid leaned forward and filled them in, "We know you are officially a couple so you can stop pretending. For people who compartmentalize so well, you both are terrible at hiding your attraction to each other. Hotch's respiration increases by 20% went Emily enters a room, and her eyes dilate when she sees him. Did you know that pupil dilation is an indicator of…"

JJ placed her hand softly on Reid's arm, and he stopped mid sentence.

Garcia filled the awkward silence, "What Boy Genius is trying to say, is that you guys make goo goo eyes at each other. ALL. DAY. LONG. So now that it's established and out in the open, we need to address the not partnering on cases and the sitting apart on the jet. We all know, and you work well together. Just cause you are Sexin' Up the Bossman..."

"Oh God!" Exclaimed Emily, as Hotch dropped his head into his hands.

Morgan clapped him on the back, "So, now that we are all equally mortified; how about we get back to the serial killer in Tulsa?"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The team continued working cases successfully despite the change in dynamics with Aaron and Emily's relationship. No longer tip toeing around, they kept their work life professional. They partnered, argued, and parented the team as usual. The only quantifiable difference was the travel budget. One less hotel room per case did help the bottom line; not that Aaron could cite that as a benefit should Strauss become aware of the relationship.

While in town, Aaron had dinner with Emily and Liam at least one night a week. Aaron tried to honor mother and son time as she did for him and Jack. They spend the weekends together as a large extended family, the Thatchers and Reid included.

Aaron fell hard for Emily, and based on her reactions, tells, and outward displays, she loved him. After two months of "dating", they abandoned the dating concept in exchange for a long term established relationship. At least that's how he thought of it. He knew what he wanted, what he needed to be happy.

Now, all he need to do was merge his old life and his new one. He had to introduce Emily and Haley officially. Haley was accepting of the relationship; she had told Aaron that she appreciated the time he dedicated to Jack. While she was being honest, he wasn't sure if it was a passive aggressive way for her to say, 'Don't have Jack spend all his time with Emily.'

"Dinner at my place? A dinner out? It that too formal? Something casual with the kids?" He asked Sean over the phone.

"Chill, Aaron. You are overthinking this. But neutral ground is good. Ease them into the situation. In public so there isn't a cat fight." Sean said but didn't get a response, "Aaron? You there?"

"Yes, sorry. I was thinking about neutral ground in public." Hotch paced around Emily's kitchen.

Liam and Jack were playing in living room under her supervision as Aaron chatted on the phone.

She stepped out of the living room waving her phone at him.

"Hold on, Sean." He looked at Emily and then the phone in her hand.

"I just got off the phone with Haley. We are taking the kids to the playground tomorrow morning at 9:00." She smirked at him, "It's not a big deal, babe. Haley and I are adults; we don't need a negotiator or a babysitter."

And with that statement, she patted his back condescendingly and left the room.

Aaron sat down at the kitchen table, and sighed into the phone, "Did you hear that? I guess you did by the sounds of your laughter."

Sean and Aaron finished up their phone call a few minutes later, the younger brother still chuckling as he hung up.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Emily took the boys to the playground in the morning, carrying Jack's diaper bag and Liam's tote bag with her. They had decided Aaron would meet them there with coffee and pastries, after giving the women time to talk.

It was the first time Emily had gone anywhere with Jack alone. While Aaron wasn't worried about Emily trying to handle two boys, he could admit to himself that he was nervous about Haley's reaction.

He paced around the brownstone, then drove to the coffee shop and paced while waiting for their order. Approaching the playground slowly, Aaron took in the scene. Haley and Emily were pushing the boys on the swings as they talked. Haley was laughing at something Emily was saying; both women were at ease.

Liam spotted him first, yelling out, "Mr. Hotch! Look how high I can go!"

Haley smiled at him as he passed her a latte, "Relax, Aaron."

Emily helped the boys down and wiped down their hands with wet wipes. The group headed for a nearby picnic table. Haley helped the boys with the milk as Aaron handed them each a muffin.

He looked at both women; women he loved, his past and his future, and he smiled. Everything was going to be okay.

Haley helped him pack up Jack's things so she could take him home with her. Jack hollered his goodbyes to "Iam and Emmy" as Aaron helped Haley get him into the car. He kissed Jack and closed the back door.

"Haley, thanks for today."

His ex-wife stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his cheek lightly, "We've turned the corner. We are in healthy happy relationships. I really do like Emily, Aaron. And her little boy just loves you."

With a gentle smile, he sent her off and headed back to the playground.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

This chapter is un-beta'd. All mistakes are mine.

Feel free to hit me up on Tumblr: GoodGodHenry!


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron was beyond thrilled to have a sex life again. Every single time with Emily was an experience unlike the one before. Slowly kissing his way up her body to frantically undressing her just enough to take her in the laundry room. Since they had surpassed the "taking it slow" concept that Aaron stupidly suggested, they were making up for lost time.

But now, as he woke with Emily cradling her body against his, he knew it was more than just sex, more than just a relationship. This was love. A life time commitment type of love.

Last night, they were watching a Muppets movie with the boys. He had laughed at the adult innuendo and she had captured his face in her soft hands, stating simply, "I love you, Aaron Hotchner."

He didn't know when most people said I love you for the first time. According to the movies, it was during love making. He had only ever said it to Haley, and he had said it the first time in high school as persuasive measure to lose their virginities.

He had kissed Emily after her declaration but he hadn't said it back; he hoped she had seen the love and devotion in his eyes. He berated himself for being so closed off emotionally. Aaron had told her that he was serious, that he wanted it all with her. And when it came down to it, he hadn't been open or honest with her.

"Emily." He shook her a little, watching her eyelids flutter.

"Hmm."

Caressing her face, he tucked her hair back and tried again, "Emily. Wake up."

Suddenly alert, she sat up and looked around the room, "Aaron, what's wrong?"

Charginned at panicking her, Aaron shook his head, "Em, I'm sorry. I couldn't wait another minute without being completely honest with you. I love you. I should have said it last night. No, I should have said it a month ago when I knew. I love you. And I love Liam."

Emily laid back down on her pillow and tugged at him until he was horizontal, "I know, babe. I know."

"But I should have said it." He sighed as she pulled him into her arms.

She spoke quietly, her voice husky from disuse, "Aaron, I have never been in a healthy relationship before. You care for me, you respect me, and you demonstrate your love through your actions; the way you treat Liam and I."

"Words are important, though." He peppered her neck with kisses, "I love you, Emily Prentiss and I love your son. He is an amazing person."

She smiled, "I never dated with anyone after I had Liam. I had to put him first. I couldn't take a risk on bringing someone into our lives. But you do love Liam. You treat him the same way you treat Jack. You are good and honorable man. And we are lucky to have you."

"I'm sorry you had such a tough time with his father. I'd like to think someday, I'd like to be more than your..." he nervously rubbed the back of his neck, "Emily, one day, I would like us to a family. I'd like to be your husband, and Liam's father."

Her eyes glistened and she tucked her head into his chest. He could feel her tears through his thin cotton shirt. The tears marked him, similar to his scars. Her tears carved a place in his heart. He closed his arms around her a little tighter and kissed the top of her head.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A few hours later found them in Emily's backyard with three, wait, four boys. Spencer was entertaining Liam and Declan with sidewalk chalk drawings of the solar system. Jack was scribbling away, determined to help. From the grill, Aaron watched as Spencer diffuse an argument as Jack ruined Liam's drawing of the moon. Emily and Louise were inside preparing salads, beans, and desserts.

They were having a simple family BBQ as this was William's last day in the States. Emily's father was leaving for Greece to meet up with the Ambassador. Emily, Louise and the boys would follow in three weeks for their summer vacation.

Aaron considered his plans for a short getaway with Emily when she returned without Liam. He had already arranged to have Haley keep Jack for that week. Now, he just needed to make a decision on a bed and breakfast on the Cape, a beach house on Myrtle Beach, or a fancy hotel in New York.

William arrived and joined Aaron at the grill after hugging the boys and clapping Spencer on the shoulder, "Son." Aaron noted that the Professor included Jack and Spencer as if they were his own.

They shook hands and Aaron turned over the tongs to Emily's father as Jack tried to climb his leg. Jack sat on his hip and babbled about Liam and coloring.

The men chatted about the Ambassador's assignment in Greece, William sharing his passion for the Greek playwrights with Aaron.

"Will you and Jack be joining Emily, Louise, and the boys? We have plenty of room."

Aaron set Jack back down as the boy raced across the yard to get a popsicle from Louise, "No. Thank you for the invitation. I understand the island you are on is breathtaking."

"It is. So where are you taking Emily on your romantic getaway?" William smirked at him, "Emily only keeps secrets from her mother."

Laughing, Aaron had William help him narrow down the location, ultimately deciding on a cabin in a mountain resort.

"She's quite outdoorsy but she is spoiled. If you get a cabin with indoor plumbing, she'll be happy."

Recalling one case, where a pair of brothers hunted people, Aaron nodded, "She mentioned her Grandfather lived off the land in the mountains."

"Yes, my father in law. There was no indoor plumbing at his cabin." William rubbed his hands on Aaron's arm and chest.

"Dad, why are you feeling up my boyfriend?" Emily joined them on the patio.

Chuckling, William said, "Jack left chalk dust all over him."

Aaron looked down and saw his left leg covered in tiny handprints.

The group shared a laugh.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Come say Hi on Tumblr: GoodGodHenry

Also, to Guest Reviewer from Chapter 50 - thank you! Your review means so much to me!


	52. Chapter 52

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron booked a luxury cabin in a resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains for a week. Emily would be leaving for Greece in the next night and he wanted to give her something to look forward to while vacationing with her mother.

He picked up Chinese food and headed over to her house. He knocked but didn't hear anything. He let himself in and punched in the security code. "Emily, Liam," he called out but no one replied.

He dropped the bag off in the kitchen as he heard the front door open. "Hey," he said so he wouldn't startle Emily.

"Mr. Hotch!" Liam barreled into the kitchen and hugged him around the knees.

He picked up the boy, kissing his forehead, "Liam, you can call me Aaron."

"Nope," Liam popped the p, "You are Mr. Hotch."

"Sorry, we were next door." Emily entered the kitchen, sniffing, "Oh my, is that Chinese? I love you!"

They kissed while he was still holding Liam. The toddler grabbed both their heads and squeezed, "Family Hug!"

Emptying the brown paper bag, Emily plated the food. Liam helped Aaron with the drinks and they sat down at the table.

"Louise, Declan, and Liam are packed. I just have to pack myself and we are ready to go in the after work tomorrow."

Smiling, Aaron pulled a brochure out of his pocket, "While packing for Greece, you might want to start packing for your next trip."

Reviewing the resort information, Emily squealed, reminiscent of Liam's happy sounds.

"Aaron, this is amazing. Oh, they have river rafting, and mountain biking and horseback riding." She giggled, "We may be quite sore from the activities."

"That's what the hot tub at the cabin is for, and we can go on simple hikes too. They have a great restaurant there."

They finished their meal, and cleaned up together before retiring upstairs. Liam played in the hallway, setting up a long line of toys from his room to Emily's.

Emily placed her suitcase on the bed and wandered around the room grabbing items to pack, "I've never been river rafting, have you?"

"No, I would like to try it. They have a beginner run." He said as he removed her clothes from the suitcase, refolding them before placing them back in the suitcase. Holding up her bathing suit, he flashed her a naughty grin, "I'd like to see you in this."

She tugged at his hands until they ended up in her closet. His hands slipped under her bra as he mouthed her neck. Breathing heavily, Emily clutched at his head, pulling lightly at his hair.

"When is Liam's bedtime?"

"10 minutes. Oh God, do that again."

He shuddered against her as his fingers pinched and his tongue swirled. Suddenly, he stepped back before he lost control. Her neck was blotchy and red; her shirt disheveled. She was breathtaking.

After straightening her shirt, she stepped forward and smoothed down his hair, "Aaron, you make me lose my mind."

They left the closet with his hands on her waist and slipping downwards. She swatted his hands away as she called out, "Chomper, it's bedtime. Can you start cleaning up?"

"Mama, I am not done playing." Liam's voice whined.

"I'll help him clean up. You keep packing." Aaron's strong hand squeezed her butt cheek as he walked away, "We need to clear the bed for later."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron and Emily were back in the master suite after they had put Liam to bed together. She had changed into a sexy piece of lingerie that made him weak in the knees. Thinking about it, even her silly unmatched pajama ensembles made him weak at the knees but this, God, that little scrap of lace made him feel like a wild animal. And he had pounced.

Afterwards, they cuddled and she have him a dirty rundown of what she had enjoyed. He felt obligated to verify.

A quick shower after the second round left him wide awake. He padded through the house, checking the locks, grabbing a drink of water before checking that Liam was still sleeping soundly. He adjusted the toddler's blankets before returning to bed.

Pulling Emily into his arms, he said, "I liked the family hug tonight from Liam. I enjoyed putting him to bed."

"I'm still trying to get him to call you Aaron."

"I wouldn't mind if he called me Dad," He said, his voice growing husky, "I know it's a bit soon, but by this time next year, I'd like it if we were married and I adopted him as my own."

"So, was that a proposal?" She said as her hand snaked under his shirt. She lightly caressed his stomach, dipping her fingers into the waistband of his boxer briefs.

"You'll know when I propose." He told her, smiling, "I'd like to have the paperwork done by the wedding though, adoptions take time. I think it's time we talk about his father signing away his parental rights."

Emily stiffened, moving away until she was sitting up against the headboard, "Liam's father is not in the picture. His name is not on the birth certificate. There aren't any roadblocks."

"Em," He watched as her face hardened so he softened his voice, "Emily, I want to adopt Liam legally. His father will need to agree."

"It's not necessary." Her tone harsh, her eyes narrowed.

Turning in the bed, he faced her, "Wait, does he know he has a son?"

"Aaron, you don't understand." She pleaded, "It's fine. Liam is better off without him."

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, "You said it didn't end well, that he was controlling. But controlling or not, he has a right to know he has a son."

She leaped from the bed, and backed up towards the wall as if she was under attack, "Aaron, don't push this."

"Push? What am I pushing?" He watched her face flame red, her breath quickening. Her distress startled him, he didn't want to fight. "Em, love,"

Livid, she shouted at him, "Don't call me that! He called me that and it wasn't love!"

Aaron climbed out of the bed, and approached her slowly, "Emily, what is going on? What happened with him?"

Standing stiffly, she didn't relax as he tried to hold her. He cradled her face in his large hands, "Please, talk to me."

Her eyes were wide and her voice broken, "Aaron, leave it alone. Trust me on this. Legal or not, I need you to know that I am protecting my son, my family."

This terrified him; Emily was all about laws and working within the system. She was more rigid than any agent he had worked with. And here she was, hiding her child's existence, deliberately not adding his father's name to the birth certificate. Protecting her family? Her mother had a highly skilled security detail.

Blinking, he realized that some time had passed and he was sitting in the oversized arm chair in the corner of the room. She was kneeling between his legs, her dark eyes pleading with him to understand.

He brushed his fingertips across her tops of her cheeks, "Em."

"Can you trust me on this?"

"You are scaring me." He sighed, "I do trust you but with these secrets, I don't know where that will take us. I just…"

He trailed off and she leaned against his legs, letting her head rest on his knee.

Emily spoke quietly, "This leads to mistrust in our relationship. How can you build a life with someone who can't tell you the truth?"

Aaron felt her tears trickling down his bare leg, and stroked her hair, "You said can't. You can't tell me the truth, not that you won't." Reaching down, he pulled her up into his arms, "I trust you with my life every day on the job. I trust you with my son. I trust that you wouldn't keep a secret from me if you didn't have to."

"I don't think our relationship will be the same after this. Maybe I shouldn't have allowed myself to love you."

He jostled her in his arms before carrying her the two steps to the bed. She cried herself to sleep in his arms while he lay awake. She was right, their relationship wouldn't be the same. He would always wonder and the lack of information would eat away at him.

With his stomach twisting and aching while his mind racing through possible scenarios, Aaron considered the information he already knew.

Emily had Liam in Chicago and couldn't wait to move; applying for BAU here, Counter Terrorism in New York, and even the State Department in D.C.

Emily had known Louise for at least four years

Louise must know who Liam's father was as she moved here from Chicago with Emily.

Emily said that she knew going into the relationship that it would end badly, why had she stayed in a destructive relationship?

This man was controlling. Controlling enough that Emily still feared him four years later.

Emily had not put the man's name on the birth certificate. But she had never lied and said she didn't know who Liam's father was. Saying it was a one night stand, a stranger, that would have been easier, but Emily was never for taking the easy route.

When Emily joined the team, her employee file was filled with inconsistencies.

She had never told the team about Liam. He was a secret and probably would have remained so but Aaron had shown up unexpectedly. Emily was unwilling to be controlled by Strauss, she had quit rather than be under the ice queen's thumb.

Controlling, that word had come up several times when she talked about Liam's father. That is the same word Aaron would describe his own father. And when he lost control, Thomas Hotchner became abusive. He had bullied his wife and his children into being the perfect Southern family. Clothes had to pressed perfectly, hair combed precisely, manners impeccable, house immaculate, grades at the top of the class.

A dry pot roast or specks on the glassware meant an hour long lecture on housekeeping and representing the Hotchner family in the best light; this was followed by the silent treatment. His mother bowed under the pressure, moving through life like a ghost. Invisible in her own home, nothing more than a servant who was to remain unseen. Unless, there was a social function, then she had to be the perfectly coiffed hostess.

Getting anything less than a 100% on a test equated to a beating. Aaron had strived to be the best, often staying up all night to ensure he would ace every test. With his mother's focus on the having a perfect home and being the perfect housewife, he took responsibility for his younger brother, fixing Sean's clothes, wiping up smudges, and catching the glass of milk before a single drop could be spilled.

Liam was growing up in a home where he could be himself. He had an inner glow that Emily and Louise had nurtured. They encouraged him, and disciplined him appropriately allowing him to become a bright and active child. He was well mannered, not spoiled. The little boy was never fearful in his home, not even when he broke something. He apologized sincerely, and Emily had simply reminded him to remember the rules and be safe. .

With his biological father in the picture, would Liam be timid and scared like Aaron and Sean were? Would Emily be like his mother, watching every word she said, tip toeing around afraid of Thomas Hotchner's next episode?

He spent the rest of the night, sleepless with the woman he loved in his arms. A woman with a past that terrified her, and now terrified him.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Oooh glimpse into Liam's father!

This chapter is un-beta'd; all mistakes are mine.


	53. Chapter 53

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Morning came, and he still had Emily clutched in his arms. She woke with her eyes bloodshot and swollen from crying herself to sleep.

"I know it's early, but I wanted to talk about last night." He instantly saw a flash of sadness in her eyes before she quickly transformed her face into a more neutral expression. She only did that with strangers and suspects. It was a skill that Aaron had admired in her but not when it was directed at him.

"I understand, Aaron. I really do." She slowly pushed away from him while to trying to scoot to the other side of the bed.

"No, you don't. Please, let me say this. I love you, and I love Liam,so I am not going anywhere."

Her body shook as silent tears fell in relief. He gently wiped them away as he continued, "This is going to be difficult for me; not knowing. But I trust you. Implicitly." He kissed her forehead, and then lifted her chin so that he could see into her eyes, "I want to marry you and be Liam's father, no matter how difficult it will be. Even if I cannot legally adopt him. You, Liam, Jack and I. We will be a family."

Throwing her arms around him, she sobbed as she peppered his face with kisses. The ringing of his phone ruined the moment, and they both laughed as it broke the tension.

It was Strauss. Aaron said "Yes, Ma'am," his whole demeanor visibly changing as she notified him of a multiple agency taskforce heading into the BAU. He dressed quickly as he filled Emily in.

"Em, it's going to be a full house today. We have the CIA, DHS, Interpol, and local police coming in. An internationally terrorist was spotted in DC."

She followed him down the stairs and handed him a plain bagel and his tie as he headed out the door with his shirt unbuttoned, "I'll drop off Liam and be there soon."

Aaron drove through the empty streets, traffic was light at 6:00 am. He knew Emily would just be waking up Liam,and getting herself dressed before dropping him off with Louise. Knowing her, she was now debating canceling her vacation to Greece. He would have to convince her to leave the office this evening, despite the international case, so she could head to the airport with Louise and the boys.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron directed the various agency leads into the conference room as they arrived. He counted three FBI section chiefs, two CIA agents, four Homeland Security agents, three Interpol agents, and two local police captains.

The Interpol Director, Clyde Easter, ran down the information on a former IRA arms dealer turned International Terrorist. Ian Doyle escaped from prison four months ago, crossing through Asia and into Europe. Now he was criss crossing the United States. New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and as of yesterday, Washington D.C.

Glancing through the doorway, Aaron watched as agents, detectives, and police officers gathered in the bullpen. Huddled together by agency, waiting for their orders.

"Do you know his intended target?" Asked the Virginia State Police Captain.

Clyde cleared his throat, "Much of the information is classified, but we believe he is targeting a small group of people located here in Quantico. He has already murdered three Interpol agents and their families in a quest for information on this group. His profile indicates that he will not stop and anyone who gets in his way is at risk."

Aaron stood up and recapped the assignments by agency. As everyone headed to the bullpen to address their staff; the Interpol director stayed behind.

"Agent Hotchner, I'd like a word with Emily. Privately." Easter's British accent was clipped, his face serious.

Aaron's eyebrows went up, "Why do you need to speak to a member of my team privately?"

Standing side by side in the doorway, they scanned the bullpen; their eyes landing on the tall pretty brunette. She was speaking to a delivery boy, accepting a large bouquet of purple flowers, leaving Aaron questioning 'who would be sending Emily flowers?'

Around her, Interpol agents and police officers were pinning up photos of the dead families, known accomplices, travel visas, hotel receipts, and maps. JJ was on the phone, alerting the media as Garcia began uploaded Doyle's photograph to the monitors around the bullpen.

Slowly turning around and taking in her surroundings, Emily dropped the bouquet, ripping open the envelope. Her hands shook as all color left her face.

Aaron rushed across the room, pushing Rossi out of his way. He arrived at her side just in time to catch her as her knees began to buckle.

Easter was on his heels, aggressively grabbing the note from her hand as Aaron set her down in a chair. The BAU team huddled in close.

"Emily," Aaron called to her. She was completely unresponsive. Her eyes frozen, wide open in fear. "Emily," he repeated louder.

She blinked, and looked right through him, chilling him to the bone. She pushed him aside as she stood up. Taking two long strides, she stopped in front of the Interpol Director. In one smooth move, Emily pulled the note from his hand and sucker punched him in the mouth, knocking his head backwards before sweeping his legs with her foot; she laid him out on the floor.

"BAU Team, Ian Doyle is at my house. Garcia, get SWAT and paramedics over there now." She stepped over Easter. "JJ, get ready to put out Amber Alert on Liam and Declan."

The team scrambled, Morgan began shouting out instructions as they ran for the door. Aaron followed close behind. She handed him the note, and said softly, "This is the moment, the reason that I need you to trust me."

Aaron looked at the note, the paper slipped revealing a photograph of Declan and Liam. Startled by what he saw, Aaron wondered how he had never realized the truth that was right in front of his face.

The boys were a photo negative of each other. They had their curly heads tilted towards each other, Declan had his arm around Liam. A mirror image, one with blonde hair and the other with black hair. Both with matching facial structures and bright blue eyes.

The same bright blue eyes of former IRA captain, arms dealer, international terrorist, and high security prison escapee, Ian Doyle.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: This chapter is un-beta'd; all mistakes are mine.

Come say Hi on Tumblr, GoodGodHenry


	54. Chapter 54

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Derek took the keys from Emily as Aaron handed out the Kevlar vests. Dave and Spencer would follow in the next car. Clyde Easter, face bloody, ran up with one of his agents as Dave was putting on his vest. He looked to Aaron for permission to allow them to join.

Aaron nodded at Dave as they pulled away. He didn't want to deal with Easter now, but the man had information they needed.

In the backseat of the SUV, Emily was frantically calling Louise on her mobile and the house phone. She tried calling her own house in case they were next door.

Her text alert pinged, and read aloud, "Security Alarm Activated. Oh God, he's there. Step on it, Morgan."

Derek hit the sirens and flew through the streets, weaving through traffic.

Finally Aaron had a moment to read the note.

 _"Hello Love,_

 _I have been tracking Lauren Reynolds all over Europe. Sad to hear she died in car accident. Luckily, I found Emily Prentiss._

 _You took the only thing that matters to me, so I'll take the one thing that matters to you. Your Family!_

 _You stole my life and my boys. My Boys. MINE. You may have covered your tracks well but you trusted the wrong people._

 _Running again? Greece this time? I don't think so. I am taking back what is MINE._

 _Goodbye Love,_

 _Ian"_

Aaron steeled himself, putting his feelings aside, "Emily, the note says you trusted the wrong people. Is Easter one of them?" He asked her. "Easter said that Ian killed three Interpol agents and their families for information."

Her voice was quiet from the back seat, "No, he wasn't directly involved. My handlers were Sean, Tsia, and Jeremy. Only they knew the extent of the operation and my real name. Clyde should have told me that Ian escaped or that the people who were protecting my identity and my SON, were being murdered. I had options, Aaron. I could have disappeared again. Now, Liam, Declan, and Louise are in danger."

Derek had held his tongue for longer than Aaron expected, "Emily, are you saying that you slept with a terrorist?"

Rolling his eyes, Aaron held up his hand, "Morgan, stop it. Right now, we have a power assertive psychopath going after the boys. This isn't the time for your petty behavior."

"Fuck you, Derek," Emily said quietly.

They rode in silence for another fifteen minutes before the SUV screeched to a stop in front of the townhouse. Aaron was pleased to see two police cars in the middle of the street.

They climbed out, pulling their guns from their holsters.

"What have we got?" He asked the closest policeman as he kept a hand on Emily's arm preventing her from rushing in.

"Back door was jimmied open and the front door was kicked open. Our captain said to hold back until you arrive. We have officers surrounding the house."

Dave, Reid, and the Interpol agents arrived, piling out of the vehicle.

Aaron stood tall, "Based on the note, Louise is the main target but I wouldn't put it past him to hurt the boys. Morgan take point in Emily's house, take Dave and Interpol guys with you. Emily, Reid, and I will go in Louise's house." He turned and faced the police officers, "We have one adult female and two small children. The unsub is believed to be operating alone but we cannot be sure."

Everyone nodded, poised to split up between the two homes, front and back.

Terrified of what he would see inside, Aaron took a deep breath and rubbed Emily's arm, "Let's Go."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron entered the house in tandem with Emily, sweeping the corners with their guns. Spencer brought up the rear as they stepped into the living room. The furniture was overturned, smashed lamps and picture frames led them from room to room. In the kitchen, Aaron saw one man on the ground, not moving. He nodded to Spencer, who crouched down to check for a pulse. He shook his head.

Her voice was like steel as she looked at the man with a bullet hole in middle of his forehead, "That's Connor Tate."

Multiple trails of blood glistened on the wood floor, one leading to the basement and the other, upstairs. Emily's head swiveled back and forth, unsure of which direction to go. "Em, hang back. Please."

One of the Interpol guys came through the kitchen, "Back of the house and yard are clear."

"Take upstairs with Reid." Aaron ordered quietly as he opened the basement door. Aaron led down the stairs with his gun extended in his hand, Emily following him closely.

They descended the unpainted basement steps to the concrete floor which was was splattered with droplets of blood leading another body. A males with multiple shots to the torso. Emily confirmed his identity, "Liam O'Neill. He was Ian's second in command."

Morgan's voice came through the earpieces, "No sign of the children or Louise. Doesn't look like anyone was inside Emily's house."

Then the accented voice of the Interpol Agent came through, "Agent Hotchner, we have a female down in the master bedroom."

A guttural scream ripped from Emily. Aaron grabbed onto her, preventing her from falling to the ground.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	55. Chapter 55

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron guided Emily to the main level as she sobbed and cried out for Louise. Spencer joined them in the living room.

"I'm sorry, Emily. She is gone." The young agent spoke quietly, his hands fidgeting, wanting to comfort her.

"The boys. Where are the boys?" She moaned as Aaron hugged her into his chest, pulling her down on the couch. Helpless and angry, he choked back a sob.

"Fuck," he muttered. Liam and Declan were out there, in the wind with a fucking maniac. Closing his eyes, he nuzzled his face into Emily's hair and released a long breath.

After several minutes, Aaron met Spencer's eyes, and nodded. They had to keep going with the investigation despite their personal feelings.

"It appears that Louise fought; her hands showed powder burns and she had a .38 by her side. She was shot several times however she was covered up with a comforter from her bed. I believe Doyle is showing remorse." Spencer took a shaky breath, and continued, "Based on the scene, it looks like Louise managed to take one assailant with a head shot in the kitchen and drew the other one into the basement. She and assailant number two exchanged gunfire, she was injured but managed to take the him down. A third assailant surprised her upstairs. I think she had the kids in the master closet."

Spencer sat on the other side of Emily, tears tracking down his face, "It looks like the boys were dragged out of the closet, but I believe Louise was already covered up by them. I don't think they saw her." He hugged Emily's other side, not caring that he was hugging his boss as well.

For once, Aaron didn't mind appearing human on the job as he held onto the both of them, crying openly.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Morgan and Dave joined them from next door. Aaron left Emily in Spencer's arms as he reviewed each of the scenes with his agents.

His phone rang as Aaron stumbled away from Louise's bedroom, horrified by what he saw.

"Hotchner," His voice rough, Aaron leaned against the wall hoping to regain his balance.

"Hotch! Garcia just found Louise's mobile. She is tracking the GPS, it is moving away from the city!" JJ exclaimed.

"What?" Aaron called out to the guys, "Dave, Morgan!"

The three men raced down the stairs; Aaron almost slid across the polished hardwood floor as he reached the living room.

"Louise's cell phone is on and Garcia is tracking the GPS."

Emily jumped up, wiping the tears, smearing her eye makeup all over her face, "Let's go."

They piled into the SUVs and raced around the police cars, ignoring Clyde Easter trying to wave them down in the street.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Morgan drove quickly as Aaron yelled out directions from his phone. In the side mirror, he could see Dave following closely behind, taking the same sharp turns.

"Aaron," Dave's voice came through the earpiece, "How do you want to approach him? Based on scene, Spencer and I believe Doyle won't hurt the boys. He will come after Emily though."

In the backseat, Emily pressed the microphone button on her vest, "I can handle myself," she bit out.

Shaking his head, Aaron turned around and leveled his red rimmed eyes at her, "Em, we have to rely on the team. We are comprised. I am comprised." Covering the sound of his voice breaking and he looked down at his phone, barking, "Next left, Morgan."

He could hear her crying in the backseat and had to stop himself from climbing over the seat to her. Clearing his throat, he hit the intercom, "Dave, take the lead, please."

"I say we allow him to reach his destination. Garcia thinks he is heading to a private airstrip. We could have locals meet us there, but only the team approaches. Spencer is the best choice for lead. We keep Emily back."

Within minutes, black and white police cars surrounded the jet on the tarmac. The getaway car parked haphazardly in the grass near the runway. The black SUVs screeched in front and the team piled out.

Aaron grasped Emily's arms tightly, "I will get Declan and Liam out. I promise." He hugged her to him before entrusting her into the care of a seasoned police officer. "Keep her out of sight," he instructed.

Emily grabbed at him as he tried to walk away, "Be safe, Aaron."

Kissing her forehead, he brushed the tears and black streaks off her cheeks, "Love you."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron rejoined his team behind the SUVs. Dave was on the megaphone, speaking calmly. Morgan was covering Spencer who approached the plane slowly.

Spencer had his hands up and exuded confidence that Aaron knew he didn't have in this moment.

The plane door opened, Doyle stepped out on the top of the stairway. He yelled out, "Clear the runway and no one gets hurt."

"Ian, you know we can't do that." Dave said, "You love Declan and Liam. You don't want them to get injured. Look at all the police out here. One stray bullet..." Dave paused, "You don't want to endanger the boys."

"Tell them to stand down." Doyle yelled, then pointed a gun at Spencer, "You there, stop right there."

Stopping, Spencer nodded at Doyle as Dave's voice carried over to them. "This is Spencer Reid. He is a good friend of Declan and Liam's."

Doyle turned his head towards the interior of the plane; Aaron assumed that the children were confirming this information. Doyle's arm dropped, his gun pointing downward.

Dave continued, his voice calm yet firm, "Spencer and Declan have been learning about Ancient Egypt together. Spencer is working on a dinosaur puzzle with Liam."

Growling, Doyle raised his gun again, "That feckin' Lauren, Emily, whatever the her name is! It should have been me teaching my boys. I should know that Liam likes dinosaurs. She hid them from me, their own father."

Spencer spoke out, "Ian, I just want the boys to be safe. Isn't that what you want? For Declan and Liam to be happy, healthy, and safe."

"They are safe with me."

Dave chimed in, "Ian, you are wanted by the authorities in several countries. Your organization has crumbled while you were away. Your rivals consider your family to be your will target Declan and Liam. You need to do what is right for your sons."

After several minutes, Doyle lowered his gun, and looked inside the plane. He scratched at the scruff at the back of his neck and locked eyes with Spencer. "You care about my boys."

Nodding, Spencer stepped forward slowly while keeping his hands out front, "Ian, I love your boys. Declan is a bright young man with an analytical mind. Liam is full of energy and joy. He is only three and trying to learn to read so he can be just like Declan."

"That bitch didn't even tell them they are brothers." Doyle snarled, then spit out her name as if it was a curse, "Emily Prentiss."

Aaron grew nervous, he knew where this was going. Dave lowered the megaphone and they exchanged a concerned look.

With Morgan still covering him, Spencer had reached the steps of the jet, "Ian, let me get the boys to safety. No one needs to be hurt. Together, we can tell them that they are brothers. Explain who you are, that you are their father."

Doyle's gun hand kept twitching, and despite his oath to uphold the law, Aaron really wished Morgan would just take the shot and kill the bastard.

"I want Emily Prentiss on her knees before me. I will release the boys then and only then." Doyle stated before stepping back into the plane and hitting the button to close the doors. He kept his gun trained on Spencer until the door shut.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Shaking his head, Aaron leaned in to whisper to Dave when a blur of motion and dark hair sped past him. Turning to run after Emily, he slowed as he saw Morgan scoop her up.

Aaron looked back at the police officer that was supposed to be holding her back. The man was being helped up from the ground, rubbing his jaw.

Morgan whispered furiously in her ear as Emily struggled in his tight grip. Realizing she would continue to fight him, Morgan threw her over his shoulder. Spencer jogged over to meet them and once they were all behind the police barricade, Morgan placed her back on the ground.

"We don't have to turn over Emily; he won't hurt the boys." Spencer said without conviction.

Dave shook his head, "No, this is his endgame. He knows he can't escape and he will not go back to prison."

Nodding along, Morgan said, "Emily is his stressor. He's obsessed with her." Lifting his chin, he pointedly looked at Spencer, "He will hand the boys to Spencer and kill Emily."

Emily squared her shoulders, "I'll be fine. Disarm him and get the boys. I will hold my own."

Closing his eyes, Aaron had a flash of his future, raising Declan and Liam along with Jack. Alone. Without Emily. Her presence missing from the dinner table, from the playground, from their birthday parties.

Shaking the errant thoughts from his head, he bent down and removed his ankle holster. Emily automatically lifted her pant leg and he holstered his backup weapon around her slim calf. He stood back up and cupped her face in his large hands, feeling like he was putting his entire future into the bruising kiss.

She blinked at him before turning and walking away, he wasn't sure if she heard him as he whispered back her words, "Be safe."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Although I knew Louise wouldn't survive the story from the beginning, I can't believe how hard it was to have her die. However, I couldn't let her go without a fight. She fought for the boys and took out two armed men. Sigh, yes, I realize these are fictional characters but damn they are so real to me….


	56. Chapter 56

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Emily strode forward with Spencer and Morgan flanking her. Terrified and angry, Aaron kicked the tire of the SUV.

Dave raised the megaphone, "Ian, we agree to your terms. Please send out Declan and Liam. Spencer will escort them back to safety."

The three agents stopped halfway to the jet as the plane door opened. Emily made a big show of shedding her jacket and handing over her service weapon to Morgan as Ian Doyle watched from the top of the stairway. She stepped forward with her hands up.

Doyle spoke softly, almost smiling, "Hello, Lauren. Good to see you again." Abruptly his posture changed; he hissed her name, "Emily Prentiss."

Stopping in front of the stairs, she turned around in a full circle demonstrating to her ex-lover that she was unarmed. Doyle's eyes took in every detail of Emily's appearance; Aaron's hands automatically clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. "Fuck," he muttered under his breath.

"Ian." Emily stated simply. As if this was a normal everyday situation. As if that son of a bitch was over for tea.

Doyle leered at her, "My boys look well. I don't appreciate you keeping them from me."

"I told you from the beginning, this is not a life for children. I offered to get you out." Emily kept her voice even, "I had to get Declan out. I had to keep him safe." Her voice breaking as she told him about her son, "Ian, I didn't know I was pregnant. I didn't know about Liam until we had been hiding for months." She took in a deep breath before continuing, "I still would have taken the boys. You can't raise children as warriors, Ian. They are innocent."

Despite the distance, Aaron could see Doyle's shoulders slump a little at her surprising confession.

Spencer stepped up next to Emily, "Ian, it's time. Let the boys come to us. We will keep them safe."

With a quick nod, Doyle stepped back into the plane. The team waited for five agonizing minutes. When he stepped out again, he had Declan at his side and Liam on his hip. His gun was nowhere in sight.

"Mama," Liam called out, smiling and waving at his mother, ignorant of the seriousness of their situation.

Aaron was shocked at Declan's appearance. The boy was pale and shaking. His eyes wide as he took in the scene.

"Love you, son," Ian kissed Liam on the cheek before putting him down and ruffling his hair, "Go to your mother."

Liam ambled down the plane steps and ran to his mother. Emily kissed and hugged him tight, whispering in his ear before nudging him towards Morgan. The little boy hugged Spencer's legs before running to Morgan.

Finally exhaling, Aaron realized that he had been holding his breath so long that his lungs ached. He jogged over and took his boy from Morgan, _HIS_ boy, not Doyle's. Aaron held onto Liam as he moved behind the barricade. The toddler squirmed in his arms, "Too tight, Mr. Hotch."

Kissing the boy's forehead, Aaron apologized, "Are you okay, buddy? Did you get hurt?"

The dark curls danced as Liam shook his head, "Declan is really sad and scared. Can you get him too? We don't like that mean man."

"Yes, I'll go get Declan right now. Do you want to sit in a police car?" Aaron hustled the boy to the furthest police car from the scene.

Aaron hesitated to leave Liam alone with an officer that he didn't know, but luckily JJ came running up at that moment. After quick glance at Liam then back to JJ, Aaron was sprinting back towards the plane.

He didn't know what he had missed, but Declan was now in Spencer's arms, crying hysterically.

Doyle was standing on the top of the stairs, his piercing blue eyes locked on Emily.

Spencer was rushing towards them, clutching Declan tightly. Reaching Dave's side, Aaron was desperate; only Morgan's steady hand kept Emily safe now.

"Dave, is he going to let her go?" Aaron asked hopelessly.

"No, he made peace with letting the boys go. He won't let Emily walk away." Dave answered quietly.

Aaron's breath hitched as he passed Spencer and Declan; he was finally at Morgan's side.

Doyle made a big show of slowly descending the stairs, pointing his gun at her head.

Standing in front of her, he demanded, "On your knees, Emily Prentiss."

Emily dropped to her knees but didn't bow her head, "It's over, Ian. Let's end this."

"Shut up!" He yelled as he backhanded her across the face.

Morgan jerked his head to the right, and Aaron moved into position, both of them leveling their guns at Doyle.

"Enough, Doyle!" Morgan said, "Drop your weapon."

Smirking, Doyle dropped his gun and kicked it away. Turning to Morgan, he cocked his eyebrow, "Gonna shoot me, Agent?"

In one quick motion, Doyle pulled a knife from his waistband, swinging the blade towards Emily's neck.

Time seemed to slow down as Emily pitched forward, tackling Doyle's legs, his knife catching her across the temple.

Aaron fired a single shot, hitting Doyle in the neck as he fell backward. Doyle gurgled as blood gushed from his wound. The momentum sent Emily forward, collapsing onto Doyle.

Aaron pulled his gun back as Morgan sprinted towards them, scooping Emily up from Doyle's body. Aaron rushed to make sure that Doyle was no longer a threat, kicking away the knife.

Clutching his neck, Doyle could feel his blood soaking the ground around him. His eyes fell on Emily one last time before locking with Aaron's; both of them knowing his life was slipping away.

With blood still spurting from his neck, he whispered, "My boys," before falling unconscious.

Aaron reached down to check his pulse; Ian Doyle was dead.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: So, I liberally stole dialogue from several episodes / characters for this chapter. Sorry!

As usual, this is from Aaron's POV. Just in case you caught the inconsistencies in how he views this situation or how his mind is processing everything, please keep in mind that he just learned this new information (Emily/Doyle) so he is fighting with himself about Emily's past and Liam's parentage.

This chapter was a difficult one. It's been re-written no less than 20 times between January 2016 and September 2017.

It was hard to get Ian's character and his speech patterns just right. Then there was the action/death scene, I have never written one before. I always make the action happen off screen so I never realized how difficult it is to get everyone's placement, actions, and reactions written properly and in sequence.

I was lucky enough to have my family all pitch in on this chapter as I grew more desperate in the past few weeks. My 14 yr son firmed up the action scene and refused to believe that Hotch would ever lose control on his emotions. Husband helped figure out Ian, calling him a classy bad guy who wouldn't resort to using foul language. My 12 yr daughter rewrote the death scene so it was more dramatic and had Emily crying out "No" as Ian passed. Sadly, I didn't use her version but I saved it because she did such a beautiful job.


	57. Chapter 57

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Emily silently stood over Doyle's dead body for several minutes. "It's over, Aaron, it's over." She whispered, her body shaking as she sagged in Aaron's arms.

He held his handkerchief to her head and supported her weight; both of them staring at dead body on the ground.

"You, Liam, and Declan are safe now." He said, keeping his voice steady, "You are all safe."

Aaron was unable to continuing watching the cut on her forehead sluggishly ooze blood. He tried to escort her towards an ambulance for medical attention.

"No, I'm fine." Emily's voice cracked, "I need to see the boys."

"Em, please." He pleaded, "Don't let them see you covered in blood."

After a quick visit with the EMTs, Emily's forehead was bandaged and her face wiped free of blood; she was finally released to be reunited with the boys.

With a violent sob, Declan lept from Spencer's arms into Emily's, his arms wrapping around her neck as his legs encased her hips. She held onto him tightly, both of them crying.

Rounding the police car, Aaron took Liam from JJ, and kissed the top of his head before guiding him to his mother. Liam wrapped his tiny arms around Emily's legs. She shifted Declan sideways to free her arm, hugging her son.

Dave pulled Aaron aside, JJ and Morgan joined them. Spencer stayed behind, hovering over Emily and the boys. After years of working closely together, the conversation was brief and decisions were made quickly. Morgan was to remain at the scene so he could wrap up the case with the FBI, Interpol, and the locals while the remaining team used Dave's home as a safe house.

Confident that everything was settled, Aaron bundled his family into the SUV. Spencer had Declan buckled into the middle seat, his arm holding the blond boy to his side. Emily held Liam in her lap, smoothing his curls as he complained about not having a booster seat. Once they were secured, Aaron climbed into the driver's seat. After a deep breath, he followed Dave and JJ leading the away from the horror on the airstrip.

"Mama, I missed you lots but Declan said you would come get us, and you did." Liam chattered on as Declan simply stared at the phone in his hands.

When they arrived at Dave's house, they found Penelope in the kitchen cooking up a storm. JJ escorted Emily to the couch, regularly refreshing her tea that sat untouched. Dave paced as he handled repeated calls from Strauss, adamantly refusing to bring the boys into headquarters.

Aaron and Spencer tried to bathe the boys. Declan refused, he didn't want to get his mother's phone wet. Eventually, the two men gave up and dabbed at him with a soft washcloth.

Aaron set the boys at kitchen table as Spencer encouraged them to eat. JJ hovered over them, wiping Liam's hands and face as he ate messily. Head down, Declan simply moved the food around his plate with his fork.

In the living room, Aaron found Emily, her eyes were bloodshot, her skin devoid of color. She looked like she was a translucent. He guided her to the kitchen, she moved robotically and without emotion. She mirrored Declan's actions and didn't eat a single bite. When Liam tried to get her attention, she smiled softly at the boy but when he looked away her expression slipped revealing the devastation she felt.

Stepping away, Aaron took the call from Morgan. Strauss was now handling Interpol and Homeland Security. They were positive that Doyle's only compatriots were dead. Easter was confident that he had burned all his bridges with past associates but the Brit wanted Emily and the boys in protective custody until they were sure.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Liam was thrilled with the excitement of being with the team in a new house. Penelope kept an eye on him as he explored the house and yard with Dave's dog, Mudgie.

Declan went from Spencer's lap to Emily's, clutching Louise's mobile phone, refusing to let it out of his sight. When it was time for bed, he simply ignored them until Emily offered to sleep with him. Emily shook her head at Aaron when he offered to escort them to one of the many guest rooms in Dave's mansion. She kissed him lightly and assured him that they would be fine.

With Liam on the floor, napping on Mudgie; the team gathered around the living room. Aaron leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, he lifted his head and caught Dave's eye, and resignedly asked, "What now?"

"I don't think you need to go into protective custody. You can stay here, with all of us or maybe up to my cabin." Dave turned and spoke to the Penelope, "Kitten, can you please continue running down associates of Doyle's? And go ahead and get into Easter's files since he has a history of not sharing information."

Morgan took a long sip of his beer, "JJ, Strauss is having Chief Sandoval handle the media since there are multiple agencies."

JJ nodded, "Good. Now, how do we take care of Emily and the boys?"

"I don't know," Aaron admitted. Resigned, he picked up Liam off the floor, and held him close. "I'll explain everything to Liam in the morning, and talk to Emily about protective custody. There is nothing more we can do tonight."

Spencer retreated further into the couch, letting his hair cover his face. Morgan threw his arm around Spencer and JJ squished in on the other side, resting her head on Spencer's shoulder.

Penelope stood, ignoring the tears that flowed down her cheeks, "Dave, I am going to set up in your study."

Being careful not to jostle the toddler, Aaron found his way to the bedroom next to Emily and Declan. As he tucked in Liam, and Mudgie nudged his hand. Patting the bed, he gave the chocolate lab permission to get on the bed.

Quietly, he opened the door to the other guest bedroom. Emily had Declan in her arms, rocking him.

"Liam and I are next door," Aaron spoke softly and she nodded in acknowledgment, "I love you."

Aaron undressed, methodically folding his clothes and placing them on the dresser. In boxers and t-shirt, he crossed the hall to the restroom, not caring if his team mates were around. He climbed into bed with Liam, nudging the dog to the toddler's side.

Closing his eyes, he replayed the horrors of the day.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next morning, Aaron woke as Liam squirmed around. He was surprised that he had fallen asleep as the images of Louise's lifeless eyes and Doyle swinging the knife at Emily ran through his head most of the night.

"Mr. Hotch, I hafta go potty."

Thankful that Liam hadn't wet the bed, Aaron rushed him across the hall. After both of them had used the bathroom and washed their hands, they found Declan standing outside the door. Liam hugged his older brother tight before letting him into the bathroom.

Older brother, Aaron thought as the boys stood side by side, brothers. Light and dark, just like him and Sean.

Penelope came around the corner, "Little dude and big dudester, come downstairs, I made blueberry pancakes."

"Go get breakfast and I'll be right there." Aaron told them, squeezing Declan's shoulder lightly.

She took the boys' hands in her own and they disappeared from his view.

Knocking lightly, he entered Emily's room and sat beside her in bed. She was awake, her skin still pale with dark circles beneath her haunted eyes.

"Em, at this time there doesn't seem to be a threat from anyone Doyle associated with but Easter did recommend protective detail."

Emily sat up slowly in bed, "Tate and O'Neill were family to Ian, everyone else's loyalty was bought. No one will avenge his death."

Aaron gave her a curt nod before caressing her hair, "We can stay here or Dave's cabin. I am not sure how best to allow Declan and you to grieve."

"I don't know either, I just want to sleep." She laid back down and closed her eyes. "But I know I can't. I have to take care of Declan and Liam."

"We are family, we take care of each other." Aaron kissed her lightly on the forehead avoiding her cut. "How about you sleep a little more and we'll feed the boys."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

After breakfast, JJ arrived with go bags for the kids and Emily. Spencer offered to help Declan dress so Emily could sleep a little longer. They stacked their dishes in the sink and headed upstairs.

"Why is everyone so sad?" Liam asked as Aaron wiped his hands free of the sticky syrup.

Dave, JJ, and Penelope slid out of the kitchen, leaving Aaron alone with the three year old.

"Liam, yesterday was a very sad day for all of us. Especially for Declan." Aaron started.

"Cause of that man and all the loud noises? Louise yelled at us to get in the closet. Louise never yells. And Declan is always sad now."

Staring into those inquisitive blue eyes, Aaron was at a loss. Finding the right words that were age appropriate was hard enough, attempting to say the words to his little boy made him want to vomit the expensive Italian roast he had drank moments before.

"Yes, buddy. Louise was trying to protect you from that man yesterday. She wasn't mad at you. She needed to get your attention and have you hide quickly so she yelled."

"When can we see her? Is she coming over? She is gonna like Mudgie."

Liam was rocking back and forth on the tall kitchen stool as they talked, Aaron picked him up and placed him on the kitchen counter so he wasn't towering over him.

"Liam, I am very sorry. Louise is not coming over. She was hurt yesterday, really hurt and she died. Do you know what that means?

Aaron hated seeing the emotions that flashed on Liam's face; confusion, fear, and anger.

"No, she is not dead. She is at home. That man took us away but he left her at home." Liam's tiny voice was filled with indignation as he glared at Aaron.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, Aaron thought. Taking in a breath, he took both of Liam's clenched fists in his hands, "Buddy, I have never lied to you. Your Mama doesn't like lying, right?"

Bopping his curly head up and down, he said softly, "You get in more trouble if you lie."

"I am not lying to you. Louise is dead. That is why everyone is so sad. They miss her."

Liam threw himself into Aaron's arms, sobbing. Holding the toddler to his chest, Aaron felt himself tearing up again.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Notice that Aaron is considering Spencer as part of his family?


	58. Chapter 58

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The team filtered in and out of Dave's home throughout the day. Emily remained sequestered with Declan in the bedroom. Liam wandered from room to room, confused by the emotions coursing through the house.

JJ headed home to be with Henry as Morgan arrived with Aaron's go bag.

"All I have found on Doyle are people who hate him. He was ruthless. There is no chatter about his death. I will keep monitoring." Penelope reported.

"Easter wants to talk to Emily but I told him she wasn't available." Morgan stated as Dave served him lunch.

"Sit next to me," Liam ordered Morgan, as he slurped noodles into his mouth. He sat on the tall stool at the kitchen counter, with Spencer on one side and Morgan on the other.

Aaron couldn't help but smile indulgently at him, "Penelope, can you keep an eye on him? I'd like to take a shower and call Haley."

"Sir Bossman, you called me Penelope." She beamed at him, "Prentiss Jr. and I are going to have fun together."

After a long hot shower, Aaron sat on the bed staring at his phone. He swiped away the email and voicemail notifications. Strauss could wait. He pushed the phone icon and called Haley.

"Hey, How are you?"

"I'm good. You should see Jack, he is trying to do a forward roll. I don't think we can officially call it a somersault, though. Are you in town?" She chattered on happily.

"I'm in town, actually staying at Dave's."

Haley's voice dropped, she was somber as she heard the unspoken words, "What happened?"

"Louise, Declan's mother. Well, she was murdered in her home. There is more to the story but everyone is safe now. We are keeping Emily and the boys at Dave's."

"God, Aaron," Haley spat out at him, "Jesus Christ, when will it end? No one is safe, are they? Killers everywhere, going into your homes. Who's next, Aaron, who? Me? Jack?"

Closing his eyes, Aaron pinched the top of his nose, and listened to his ex-wife yell at him. It was his fault again. Somehow in Haley's eyes, by moving from prosecuting murders to catching them put Aaron on par with serial killers.

"Haley," he started but she interrupted.

"No, Aaron. No excuses. You almost died, Emily's friend was murdered. Were the children home? Jack is at risk just being with you."

Fueled by her words and years of her anger, Aaron stood up. He lost his temper as he had never done with Haley before. She had beaten him down their entire marriage. Enough was enough, he told himself.

"You stop right there, Haley. I would never put our son at risk or anyone else for that matter. You don't have the details, this wasn't random. Strangers are not attacking our family."

Her voice was breaking as her hysteria grew, "If you had just stayed a prosecutor..."

Aaron interrupted her this time, "My work as a prosecutor came with death threats, I just didn't tell you. Anyone involved in law enforcement is at a higher risk. My job is to prevent further crimes, to catch these guys before they can hurt others."

"Jack,"

"Haley, don't. Just don't."

They were silent for a few minutes, he could hear her breathing slow as she tried to calm herself. He feigned calmness, "I called to check on Jack and let you know that I can't pick him until Thursday night. I will let you know if we will be staying at Dave's or my apartment."

"Okay, that sounds fine. Um," Haley hesitated, "I'll have him ready Thursday night. Aaron, I'm sorry."

"I don't want to fight with you. I thought we put my career decisions behind us."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Bye, Haley."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The remainder of the day was equally horrible. Declan moved through the house like a ghost of his former self; his mother's phone still clutched in his hand. Liam was whiny and clingy, attached to Emily's leg. She simply stared blankly, her eyes hollow. The house emptied pretty quick leaving only Dave with Aaron's broken family.

After a quiet dinner, Emily and Declan excused themselves, returning to the bedroom. Dave promised to play with Liam and Mudgie, leaving Aaron alone with his dark thoughts.

Aaron scrubbed away at the pans, grimacing as the hot water burned his hands. Haley had no idea what it was like. How many killers he put away. How many lives his team had saved by doing their jobs. Perhaps if he had told her, but then it would be as if he invited the horror into their lives. Maybe he should have told her of the multiple death threats fifteen years ago when he was a prosecutor; killers liked to threaten his "pretty little wife" before and during their trials, and then to "gut him" when they were found guilty.

He sighed, and looked through the window. Dave was laughing as both Liam and Mudgie were sticking their heads out of the dog house. Aaron knew he was doing the right thing, being part of the FBI, with his team, putting away bad guys to keep everyone safe. He could never tell Haley that Emily had saved Haley and Jack from Foyet. That would push her over the edge.

He glanced up again, and couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up and escaped. Liam was teaching the dog to roll over, by demonstrating on the muddy ground.

Once Liam had been bathed thoroughly, Aaron tucked in him into bed, "Good night, buddy."

"Mr. Hotch. I don't like this bed. Can I sleep with Mama and Declan?"

Looking at his earnest little face, he sighed, "How about I sleep with you again? Declan and your Mama need their rest."

"Yes, please."

Liam held out his arms and Aaron picked him up off the bed. He climbed in, cradling the boy to his chest.

"They are sad because Louise is dead. Dead means she won't come back."

Rubbing Liam's back, Aaron answered, "Yes, it means Louise won't come back."

"I'm sad."

"Me too, buddy. Me too."

Thinking about the boy in his arms, Aaron was reminded of the many nights he had slept with Jack in his arms. The love he had for his son, he felt it for Liam. Did it matter that Ian Doyle had fathered him? Did knowing exactly where Liam's blue eyes came from change anything at all?

Liam was his; his and Emily's, and that wouldn't change.

What about Declan? Automatically, Declan was theirs now. Louise had no family. Aaron knew had to forge a stronger relationship with a the grieving boy because one day soon, he would be his father too.

Despite knowing that his thoughts wouldn't let him sleep, Aaron tried his best to match Liam's steady breathing as he closed his eyes.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron felt someone watching him, he assessed the situation before opening his eyes. He was in bed with Liam tucked into his side, his arm holding the boy close.

Cracking open an eye, he saw Emily standing in the moonlight, "Em?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just had to be sure he was safe." She spoke softly as she bent over them. Caressing Liam's curls, before moving to rub Aaron's cheek.

"It's fine. How are you doing?" Aaron wanted to scoot over to give her space to sit but there wasn't much room on the small bed.

She patted his shoulder, "I am a little better. I do know we need to talk. I can be completely honest now."

He tried to give her a reassuring smile, "I love you. Nothing will change that."

"Go back to sleep," Emily kissed him and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	59. Chapter 59

A double chapter for you lovely folks, enjoy:

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Declan was a little more animated the next day. Perhaps it was Liam's non-stop chatter, but the older boy was slowly coming out of his shell. They spent time just coloring and watching tv. The simple tasks allowed them to connect as a family.

Dave had asked the team to give them a quiet day alone; he made them a frittata and a pot of coffee before he went into the office.

Aaron watched them carefully; noting each time Declan flinched, or Emily wiped a tear away.

After lunch, he asked Liam to show Declan the dog house, and encouraged them play fetch with Mudgie in the backyard.

"But don't teach him to roll over again; Uncle Dave isn't here to bathe Mudgie." Aaron called as Liam sprinted across the yard with the chocolate lab at his heels.

Emily smiled for the first time in days, "Did he really roll around in the mud?"

Pulling her into his lap, Aaron kissed her neck, "Yes, the mud was caked everywhere. You should have seen the tub after Liam's bath."

As they quietly made dinner together, Aaron's phone kept buzzing with texts.

Dave texted, " _Not coming home tonight. You need time alone._ "

Morgan, " _Statements needed to close case. Strauss wouldn't waive Declan's statement. Rossi is working on her_."

Spencer, " _Ambassador and Professor Prentiss are flying back from Greece. They arrive tomorrow but will wait until funeral to visit_."

Garcia, " _All good, Sir Bossman. Word is out on Doyle's death. Sentiment is "Good riddance." Hope you are taking good care of my babies and Princess_ "

JJ, " _Funeral is taken care of; services on Saturday. Details emailed to you._ "

Emily finally asked, "Do we have a case?"

Shaking his head, Aaron passed over the vegetables and she scraped them into the pot, "No. Our team is amazing. Dave is spending the night elsewhere to give us privacy."

Nodding stiffly, she said, "Let's get the boys fed and in bed."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron felt the tension in the room rise after the boys went to bed together, with Mudgie keeping watch over them. This was the first time, he and Emily had been alone since the disaster with Ian Doyle had happened. He knew that she was gearing up to fill him in on her past and how she became involved with an international terrorist.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" He offered, hoping it would help Emily relax.

Steeling herself, he saw her flinch as she detached herself from the situation. She shook her head at him and headed for the kitchen, "I'd like tea. Want a cup?"

Following her, he sat at the table, watching her bustle around Dave's gourmet kitchen.

"Early in my career, I was loaned out to Interpol because of my language skills. I worked undercover several times. When this case came up, I was excited to go deep undercover along with Sean McCallister and Tsia Mosely. I quickly found out what Clyde Easter had in mind. He said that I fit Ian's type."

Emily's hands shook as she set the tea service on the table, Aaron covered one of her hands with his. She sat beside him, staring at their joined hands.

"I became Lauren Reynolds. I ceased being Emily Prentiss. I loved the danger, the excitement. My identity began to blur. I enjoyed being with Ian Doyle. He was romantic and dashing. After a few months, he allowed me to see into his operation. I introduced him to Sean as my cousin, and Tsia..."

Aaron watched her expressionless mask fall and a harsh sob escaped. Before he could cradle her in his arms, she sniffed and pulled away. Grabbing a napkin from the table, she dabbed her eyes.

Clearing her throat, she continued, "Tsia pretended to be Sean's lover and my best friend. After a large arms deal, Ian allowed us into his inner circle. A month later, he whisked me away to a villa in Tuscany. His behavior changed a bit. I thought it was because we were isolated at his compound, but he seemed more controlling. I began spending time with his housekeeper, Louise, and her son, Declan."

Nodding along, Aaron had figured that part out.

"Declan was two at the time. I loved him, and Louise. She was amazing." The tears fell silently, as her shoulder shook.

At a loss for words, Aaron squeezed her hand gently.

"I had been undercover for eight months when he proposed marriage, but I told him that I wasn't the marrying type. That's when he told me that Declan was his son. That he wanted me to be mother to his children. To raise them as warriors."

Aaron gasped at that, unable to grasp the idea of a father raising children as soldiers.

Pulling her hand away from his, she cupped the mug in her hands, "I wasn't allowed to leave the compound after that. He said it was too dangerous but really, he wanted me under his thumb. He cut off contact with Sean and Tsia. Soon he began pressuring me to have his baby. I told him wouldn't allow them to be raised like lambs for the slaughter. I could get him out, I could save Declan. But he was beyond reason."

"Louise came to me one day when he was out of the house. She had seen him poke holes in the condoms. She said that if I valued my life, I should leave. But I couldn't, Aaron, I couldn't leave Declan there. Louise told me what he had done to Dec's birth mother. Chained to the bed until she gave birth. Ian executed her himself."

Emily stood up. She picked at her fingernails as she paced around the kitchen. "Over the next few weeks, Louise changed tactics. She begged me to take Declan and run. She said with my resources I could hide Declan, and she would run the other way, giving us a chance to get away."

Choking back a sob, Emily couldn't talk anymore. Aaron embraced her tightly, rubbing her back as she finally allowed herself to cry.

A hysterical giggle escaped as Emily spoke, "Louise thought I was a gun runner, you know, a weapons dealer. But she knew, she knew in her heart that I would keep Declan safe."

Pulling out of Aaron's arms, she wiped her eyes and sat back down at the table. She waited for Aaron to sit before continuing the story, sipping at her tea. "I made the call right then, demanded that they get Louise, Declan, and I into protective custody. Clyde tried to buy more time so I called Tsia. She arranged our escape with Sean. I didn't realize I was pregnant. The stress of running, different identities, different cities. I didn't know about Liam until I was three months along."

Standing, he pulled her up into his arms and held on to her despite her struggle. His arms bracketed around her, supporting her until she sagged into him.

"Now, everyone is gone. Tsia, Sean, and Louise. Poor Louise."

Aaron spoke quietly, his voice firm, "You and Louise saved Declan and Liam. Then and now, both of you saved them."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The next morning, Aaron found himself alone, despite having fallen asleep with Emily held tightly in his arms. The light that filtered through the curtains was dim, it was early.

Checking in the room next door, the boys were sleeping soundly with Mudgie at the bottom of the bed. He padded into the bathroom then followed the smells of breakfast cooking into the kitchen.

Emily went through the motions of cooking. Her emotional pain presenting in her posture, her shoulders slumped, her face downcast.

"Em," He approached her and rubbed her arm but she didn't turn to face him.

"Breakfast is almost ready." She said quietly.

He decided that setting the table was the best course of action. Aaron knew not to push her to talk, not yet anyway. Pouring coffee for them, he handed her a mug and sat at the table, sipping his own.

The bacon was done, the eggs scrambled, and the pancakes warming in the oven, Emily looked around to see what else she could do to keep busy.

"Please sit," he said.

Her eyes darted around the room one more time, seeking any excuse to avoid meeting his eyes. Emily sat down slowly, uneasy.

"Emily, I..." Aaron was interrupted by the sound of small feet pounding through the house. Liam was awake.

The morning was filled with feeding the boys, getting dressed, and phone calls.

Official word came through Interpol that Ian Doyle had no known associates that would avenge his death. He had been gone from the arms scene for too long. His closest friends had died along with him in the Brownstone.

Morgan and Spencer arrived to take statements to close out the case. Spencer entertained the boys while Morgan took Aaron and Emily's statements. He informed them that Strauss had put the team on stand down, officially giving Emily bereavement leave and Aaron vacation time.

Offering to taking Mudgie on a walk, Morgan helped Liam to carry the leash, allowing the rest of them privacy for Declan's official statement.

Spencer sat down on the couch with Declan; Aaron guided Emily in a loveseat across the room.

"Declan, I need you to tell me what happened." Spencer started the recorder.

Wringing his hands together, the blond curls shook as the six year old asked, "Do I have to?"

"It's important." Spencer covered the boy's hands with his, "Can you close your eyes for me?"

Declan sighed, fluttering his eyelashes before closing his eyes, "Okay."

"It was morning at your house. You were home with your mom and Liam. Did you have breakfast?"

"My mom made us porridge with apples in it. I got to grate the apples."

"What happened after breakfast?"

The six year old's eyes opened and darted around the room, his body stiff in fear.

Spencer said soothingly, "It's okay, Dec. You are safe here with Emily, Aaron, and I."

Declan closed his eyes, and leaned into Spencer, "Um, Liam wanted to play outside. Mom said it was too early and Liam would wake the whole neighborhood. She told us to go upstairs and play in my room."

Spencer put his arm around Declan's shaking shoulders, "What were you playing?"

"Trucks and Dinosaurs. Then Mom yelled at us. To get in her closet and not come out. She put her phone in my pocket and got a gun out of the box. She said I had to keep Liam quiet and not come out until she or Emily got us."

The boy began to sob, and Aaron tightened his grip on Emily.

Spencer pulled Declan into his lap, hugging him and stroking his hair.

"Me and Liam stayed in Mom's closet for a long time but there were loud bangs and yelling. When it was quiet, my dad got in the closet. He picked up Liam, and he hugged me. He asked if I remembered him."

"Did you remember him?"

"Yes."

Emily stiffened and whispered to Aaron, "He was three the last time he saw him."

Waiting for Declan to stop sobbing, Spencer rocked him and told him how great he was doing and how proud he was of him.

"I know it was my mom under the blanket. Dad told us not to look. He carried me and Liam down the stairs and there blood all over the floor. Dad kept saying to close our eyes but I didn't." Taking a deep breath, Declan continued, "He put us in a black car, told me to help Liam with his seatbelt then he drove really fast. Liam was mad because he didn't have a booster seat."

"Declan, did your Dad say anything to you or Liam in the car?" Spencer asked.

The boy nodded, "He said he missed me so much. And he was sad he never met Liam before."

"Where did you drive to in the car?"

"The airplane. We just sat inside and he kept going in and out to talk to Mr. Dave and Emily and you." Declan bit his lower lip, "He was really mad at Emily."

"It's okay," Spencer nodded, "What did he say to you and Liam in the plane?"

"He called Emily a bad word. He said he loves me lots and he loves Liam too. That Liam is his son. Liam and I are brothers. And Emily stole us away. But she didn't, Emily is a good guy. She didn't steal us." Declan's cries grew louder until he was sobbing, "I want my mom."

Aaron released his grip on Emily and she sprinted across the room to gather him up in her arms. They cried together as Spencer and Aaron left the room quietly.

"Fuck," Aaron muttered under his breath as he poured two coffees. He pushed the canister of sugar towards Spencer before sitting down at the counter. He didn't even register the number of teaspoons of sugar his youngest agent was adding to his mug. All he could think about was Declan. The poor boy knew his father had murdered his mother.

Closing cases meant he never had to deal with the aftermath. He would recommend therapy to the victims and their families then move on.

But not this time, no, this time he couldn't walk away from the outcome of this case.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The plan was return to home at the end of the week, but whose home, Aaron didn't know. They couldn't return the Brownstone. It would be too traumatic. His apartment was too small for a family of five for long term but he supposed it would work for now. He needed to find them a house.

Aaron asked Declan to help him make lunch while Emily gave Liam a bath. The six year old moved mechanically as he pulled out ingredients from the fridge.

"Dec, do you want to talk about anything?" Aaron asked the boy, "I know it's hard to talk sometimes when you are sad."

Shrugging his shoulders, Declan continued with stacking the cold cuts and condiments on the counter.

"Can you grab the chips from the pantry, please?" Aaron started the sandwiches. "I want to show you a silly way my brother, Sean, loves to make a sandwich. He puts chips inside. Want to try it?"

Taking a big bite of his own sandwich, Aaron crunched into the chips. A small smile graced the boy's face, and Aaron handed him the bag, "Make an even layer of chips. There you go."

Declan bit into his turkey, cheese, and BBQ chip sandwich and his eyes lit up.

Under the guise of taking out the trash, Aaron called Spencer, "Declan is having such a hard time. He won't talk."

"He likes to process things fully before expressing himself. It's going to take time, Hotch."

"I am at a loss here," Aaron confessed.

Spencer was silent for a bit, "He's going to ask difficult questions. You and Emily may want to discuss how honest you want to be."

"He's six."

"He knows his father is the reason his mother is dead. And that Liam is his brother. He doesn't know how to process that information."

Sighing, Aaron scrubbed his face with his hand, "Thanks, Reid. Em and I will come up with a game plan."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

.

A/N: Would you look at that, Hotch is asking Spencer for advice and support…


	60. Chapter 60

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The BAU team continued to take care of their own, each in their own way. Dave hired a crew to clean both sides of the Brownstone and move everything into storage. Derek worked with a realtor to find a house so Emily and Aaron could move in together. In the meantime, they were moving into Aaron's two bedroom apartment.

JJ and Spencer handled the Ambassador and the Professor when they landed stateside. Elizabeth Prentiss immediately jumped in to help with the memorial services. The normally jovial, William Prentiss was not in a joking mood. He sat in his living room for hours silently next to Spencer while his wife and JJ finalized the memorial service for Louise.

Aaron and Emily were sitting in Dave's backyard, watching the boys. Liam raced around in circles, while Declan simply sat next to the dog, petting him occasionally.

"I spoke with Spencer," Aaron started, "He suggested we discuss how we are going to answer Declan's questions about Doyle."

Emily nodded, "He hasn't asked yet but I am sure those questions are coming. I want to be honest with him but age appropriate."

Aaron gave her hand a squeeze, "And if he asks about Liam?"

"I knew that I would have to tell them," she paused, "We always intended to tell them that they are brothers. Louise and I talked about that often. It's one of the reasons we raised the boys together as much as we could. We were hoping to wait until they were older."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron was frustrated as he turned the SUV around. Haley had canceled Aaron's visit with Jack, citing the little boy had an upset stomach. He hadn't seen or spoken to Jack in over a week. She needed to come around but he knew that yelling at her wasn't going to help the situation.

Needing some time alone to cool off, Aaron was relieved when he arrived at his quiet apartment. He sat on the couch heavily and groaned. His apartment was just the right size for him and Jack. How were they going to add two more boys and another adult, he didn't know. They couldn't fit both boys on the couch. He really didn't want to stay at Dave's any longer.

Sighing, Aaron entered Jack's room to see if he could fit a bunk bed in there until they could find a house. He was surprised to find the bedroom had been rearranged and was now sporting a twin bed with a trundle beneath on the opposite wall from the crib. The room also housed new toys and clothes for the older boys.

Chuckling, he said out loud, "Thank you, Penelope."

The newly blended family moved in the next day; giving them no time to settle in before Louise's funeral.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Emily was sitting on the bed, brushing her already brushed hair. Aaron decided to let her have a few minutes to herself. He helped the boys dress, fixing their ties and smoothing down their hair.

Aaron offered to pull up the SUV, and took Liam with him as Emily spoke to Declan about his mother's service.

"Liam, did Mama explain where we are going today?"

"We gonna say goodbye to Louise cause she's not coming back."

He helped Liam into the car, and clipped the seatbelt through the booster seat. Aaron climbed in the back and sat beside him, "It's going to be a sad day for us. We all loved Louise."

"Declan and Mama are very sad. Mama keeps crying."

"I know, buddy, I know." Aaron patted the boy's hand.

The church was filled with Emily's family, BAU team, and a handful of friends who had gathered to say goodbye to Louise. Aaron was surprised to see his brother, Sean, and his girlfriend, Jody.

"Sean." He said, "I didn't know you were going to come."

Nodding his blond head up and down, "We couldn't not come."

"I'm afraid I don't have a place for you guys to stay. The apartment is full."

Sean clapped his hand on Aaron's shoulder, "No worries, bro. We got in yesterday and we are staying with Haley and Jack. Jess and I talked some sense into her, she is planning on apologizing to you."

Aaron shook his head at his brother's audacity, then hugged him, "Glad you are here."

Declan accepted hugs, kisses, and shoulder pats from everyone before holding on tightly to Spencer, a single tear fell as he looked towards the altar.

Elizabeth and William Prentiss hugged Liam lightly but the little boy looked terrified at the tight smiles, stiff postures, and tension in the air. He watched as his mother sobbed into her father's arms. Liam lifted his arms and looked to Aaron who picked him up and settled him on his lap.

The Catholic service was somber. Declan turned his face away from the priest and hid it against Spencer's chest. At the close of the service, William was helping Emily out of the pew, when she spotted something at the back of the church.

She marched down the aisle, her face thunderous, and she pushed Clyde Easter out of the church doors. Aaron stood with Liam in his arms, and looked around, before thrusting the boy into William's arms.

He made it outside to the parking lot where Emily was seething as she spoke through her teeth to her old boss.

Aaron heard her spitting words as he moved forward, "Unacceptable, irresponsible, disrespectful."

"You are not welcome here, Easter," Aaron said as he reached them.

The British man held up his hands in mock surrender, "I wanted to pay my respects."

Derek jogged up to them, and said menacingly, "Clyde Easter."

Aaron pulled Emily close to his body and kissed her forehead.

Emily allowed him to shoulder her weight, "Let's get back inside. He isn't worth our time."

"Good, because I think I threw Liam at your dad as I chased after you." Aaron smiled at her, "Derek, can you take out the trash?"

Flashing his teeth at the Interpol Director, Derek stalked forward.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

After the service, Elizabeth invited everyone to return to her home for lunch.

"Grandma, Louise is gone." Liam told the Ambassador as Aaron escorted them to the parking lot.

"Yes, Liam. She is in heaven with the angels." She caressed the boy's chubby cheeks, "I have missed you."

Elizabeth hugged Liam close as she addressed Aaron, "Agent Hotchner, I'm sorry we are meeting again under these circumstances."

He nodded at her, "Ambassador."

"We are family now, please call me Elizabeth." She smiled softly at Aaron as she passed Liam back to him.

Her driver opened the car door for her, and William helped her into the car.

"Come on, Liam." Aaron told the boy on his hip, "Let's find your Mama and Declan."

The drive to the Prentiss estate was silent. Emily and Declan were stone faced and Liam played with his hands as he gazed out the window.

William shook Aaron's hand as they walked in, and took Liam from his arms. The little boy tucked his head in. Aaron placed his hand on Declan's shoulder and the other on Emily waist as he pushed them forward into the house. "Let's get you both something to eat."

A few people milled around but most gathered in small groups; hushed conversations and tears.

Spencer and Dave broke away and greeted them.

"Declan, how about we go make a plate?" Spencer asked as he led the withdrawn boy towards the catering table.

Dave hugged Emily, guiding her into the room, "Come, come, sit."

Friends and family soon were gathered in the large sitting room, and Penelope stood and cleared her throat.

"Um, Hi." She said, a glass of wine in one hand and a wet napkin in the other. She dabbed at her eyes before continuing, "The service was wonderful. Louise was an amazing person. I wanted us to share a happy memory of her, if you don't mind."

Penelope looked around gauge the people in the room, not sensing any objections, she began, "Louise tried to teach me how to knit. I do say tried because she did try. I was hopeless and she laughed at me. She just laughed and laughed because no matter how hard I tried or how many times she demonstrated, I couldn't get it right. She was patient and kind."

There was laughter and agreement, the tension seeped out of the room. Dave stood and told his happy memory of cooking together. Aaron sat with Emily, holding her hand as she smiled as others shared their thoughts. He watched Declan in Spencer's lap, looking shocked at the combination of laughter and tears.

Afterwards, Aaron approached Declan, "I haven't been here in many many years. Is there still a playhouse in the woods?"

Declan nodded dejectedly.

"Can you show me?"

They tramped down the path, the brush crunching beneath their shiny black dress shoes.

"Dec, you seemed surprised that people were smiling and laughing when they talked about your mom."

"My mom died and they all laughed. They should be sad."

Aaron stopped and crouched down in front of the boy, "Did you know it's okay to be happy and be sad at the same time? You can be sad that your mom died but happy about how much she loved you. Remembering her smiling at you or playing with you, those happy memories are good. Can you tell me a happy memory? Something that made you laugh?"

Declan nodded in understanding, "Mom and I were making cookies. And the bag of flour ripped and it went whoosh and covered her feet."

The older man smiled, "Even though your mom didn't like messes, I'll bet she laughed."

"She laughed really loud and she hugged me. I miss her, Aaron." Declan threw himself at Aaron who hugged him tight.

They continued their walk until they reach an old wooden playhouse. Aaron ducked low and waddled in through the tiny doorway. "This is cool."

"Yeah. Me and Liam play in here in the summer."

Aaron was lost in thought as he gazed around the miniature house and watched Declan opening cabinets and straighten the chairs around the small table.

After a few minutes, Aaron shook his head to clear his thoughts, "Hey Dec, when we buy a house and move out of the apartment, we should build a playhouse like this."

"Really?"

"Yes, maybe with a taller doorway so I can fit. I'll bet Derek and Spencer will help us design and built it."

"Cool!"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: A sad chapter but everyone is coming together, providing support. Yes, Haley's is being unreasonable.


	61. Chapter 61

~~~~~CM~~~~~

It was three weeks after the funeral and the apartment was becoming claustrophobic for the family of five.

"Only three?" Emily asked the realtor, peppering Jack with kisses as he squirmed in her arms.

"Mr. Morgan eliminated all the others in your price range." The woman grimaced as she spoke, "These are the only ones that met his specifications."

Aaron couldn't help but smirk, Derek knew his houses. "Let's take a look."

Declan and Liam were spending the day with the grandparents, and Aaron didn't want to delay the house hunt any longer nor did he want to skip time with Jack.

The two FBI agents were no match for a hyper twenty two month old who explored each nook and cranny of the three houses. They were exhausted four hours later as they asked the realtor to make an offer on a four bedroom traditional home thirty five minutes from the office.

"Well, Em, this isn't exactly how I pictured our relationship going. I wanted a wedding before we bought a house and I adopted Liam. I wanted to really propose to you."

"Tell me about it," She smiled coyly at him, "How were you going to propose?"

"Not as we argued over who gets the shower first." He reached across and took her hand.

She laughed, and Jack joined in from the backseat.

"I envisioned rose petals on the bed with candles or a romantic dinner with champagne."

Emily laughed even harder, "Tickle fight and you trying to dry hump me against the wall is way more romantic." She deepened her voice to imitate him, "'God, I love you. Marry me, Em."

Groaning, Aaron dropped his head in shame, "I wasn't dry humping you."

"Mmm hmmm." Emily laughed, "I love you, Aaron."

They returned to the Prentiss home where they found Spencer chatting with Elizabeth as William and the boys played. Jack ran through and tackled Declan, joining the group as they played.

Elizabeth smiled at them, "Tell us all about the house."

Aaron described the home simply, "It's a four bedroom, three car garage, and unfinished walk out basement."

Rolling her eyes at his bland description, Emily said, "It's a beautiful new construction, Craftsman style. The house structure is built, they are working on the interior now. We get to design the finishes and landscaping. When it's done there will be a tray ceiling in dining room, wainscoting throughout, built in bookcases, the kitchen is," she exhaled, "sooo beautiful. It's a dine in kitchen with lots of cabinet space. All the bedrooms are upstairs and so is the laundry room. It's really a perfect home for three boys."

"Is there room for the playhouse in the backyard?" Spencer asked, "We need a 12 foot by 12 foot plot."

Laughing, Elizabeth asked, "Perhaps you should get a five bedroom so each boy gets their own room."

Confused, Aaron's brows furrowed, "But we have individual rooms for Jack, Liam, and Declan."

"You forgot Spencer." Emily and Elizabeth said at the same time.

"Come on, Hotch. We don't have to stand for this abuse." Spencer stood up, and Aaron followed him out of the room.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

In the evening, after they tucked in all three boys into the crowded bedroom, Emily handed him a glass of wine, "We need to talk."

"That sounds ominous," Aaron said trying to gauge her mood. She smiled at him; the smile actually reaching her eyes for the first time since before Louise's death.

"My mother asked if we were going to have more kids."

"Are you pregnant?" He asked incredulously as she took a sip of her wine.

"No, she wanted us to get a bigger house or finish the basement. She also asked about Declan and therapy." Emily smoothed her hair down as she spoke.

Nodding along, Aaron listened as she related their conversation. He waited for her to get to the point. Whenever she was flustered, she rambled on while playing with her hair.

Closing her eyes, Emily spoke quietly, "I had my third session with the FBI shrink yesterday."

"Emily?"

She breathed out a long mumble,"Iamthinkingofresigning"

He reached out and held her hand, "Can you try that one more time?"

"Aaron, I think I want to leave the BAU."

Hiding his smile by sipping his wine, Aaron wondered if he should tell her that he already knew, "Em, if that is what you want, I will support you."

"You aren't surprised by this?"

"I had an inkling."

She put her glass on the coffee table, and stood up. Wringing her hands together she paced in the small living room. "I've worked my whole life. I went from college to the FBI Academy, to the Interpol task force, and back to FBI. I only took three months maternity leave with Liam. I have never taken a long vacation or..."

He watched her work herself up into a frenzy, before crossing the room and interrupting her, "Em, are you trying to convince me or you?"

"Um, you?"

Aaron kissed her, "I think this is a good idea."

"I could be home with the boys, and help Declan through this difficult time. Maybe get my head on straight after losing Louise. I could deal with the whole Doyle thing with the shrink."

"Come sit with me," he tugged at her until she joined him, "You have lost your best friend. Her son needs you and I think you need him, and Liam. I think you need this time."

"The team." She lamented sadly, "My career."

Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her cheek, "It will be hard on all of us, even the team. It's already been difficult without you past three weeks. You are insightful and pretty bad ass. This isn't forever. You can always come back to the BAU or try another line of work. Who knows, maybe I'll get you pregnant with triplets boys and you decide to stay home permanently. Let's do what works for you, right now."

"Triplets? All boys?" She raised a sculpted eyebrow at him.

"That way we can get a bigger house like your mother wanted!"

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	62. Chapter 62

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Emily's resignation was met with quiet tears from JJ and Penelope. Spencer simply nodded and Dave gave her a small smile. Emily turned to Derek but her partner turned and walked out of the conference room. A small sob escaped as she hid her face in Aaron's embrace.

It was another two hours before she returned from her exit interview with Human Resources. Aaron observed through his office's glass walls as she packed up her desk chattering away with Spencer. Derek stalked back into the bullpen and lifted her into a bear hug. Noting Derek's watering eyes, Aaron turned away to give them privacy.

The next morning, Aaron woke to his alarm beeping only to find Emily showered, dressed, and standing over him. He sat up and she held out a cup of coffee.

"I don't know what to do with myself." She announced.

Blurry eyed, Aaron blinked at her, and then the clock. 5:30 am. He accepted the mug and took a long pull of the strong black coffee, "Emily, it may take more than a day to adjust."

Taking another sip, he puzzled, "Wait, you've been home for three weeks."

"Yes, but I was on leave. I'm unemployed now." She whined at him, "UN-EM-PLOYED!"

Aaron scrubbed at the back of his head trying to figure out what happened to the rational woman he wanted to marry, "Em? Um, I'm not quite awake yet. How about I take a quick shower and we can talk?"

She stomped away and he could hear her banging pots and pans in the kitchen. He showered, shaved, and dressed slowly, trying to to figure out the best way to handle her mood. He had never seen anything like this. Haley had been thrilled when she quit her job to stay home. He had a feeling that Emily wouldn't take to this as well as she had hoped.

He patted into the kitchen to find her with laughing with Jack on her hip as she stirred the oatmeal on the stove.

"Emily?"

"Dada!" Jack squealed as he reached for his father.

They cuddled as Emily dished up breakfast for them, "Sorry for the freak out."

Aaron strapped Jack into the high chair, and handed him his bowl. Jack blew onto each bite, sending bits of oatmeal towards his father.

"Are you okay? Honestly?"

She joined him at the table, pouring a few blueberries on Jack's oatmeal, "Yeah. My identity has been tied to my job. I felt directionless this morning. I started several to do lists as I was making breakfast and I got excited."

Smiling at the goofy faces Jack was making, Aaron wiped down the boy's goopy hands, "What are you excited about?"

"Decorating the new house, having a garden, finding a good school for Declan, a preschool for Liam. Plus between all the therapy appointments for Declan and me, well, there won't be much time to miss work."

"Good, you had me worried there."

She laughed, "You won't get off that easy. I'll probably still freak out at least once a week."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Pulling up to Haley's townhouse, Aaron attempted to calm his nerves before unbuckling Jack and heading for the door.

Jack screeched his hellos at his mother, hugging her legs before disappearing into the house.

"Can we talk?" He asked his ex-wife.

Haley led him to the couch where he sat down heavily, "Emily said Jack had a wonderful time at the park with the boys yesterday. She texted me pictures."

Aaron nodded, "They get along well. Haley, ahh..."

Things between them were getting better. She had apologized but Aaron had felt like she didn't mean it. She resented him, and then Jess and Sean's involvement. Haley had upped her therapy sessions and talked about her fears. She finally called him last week and apologized sincerely for the things she had said.

He exhaled; he felt stupid. Something about talking to Haley made him nervous, well, no, he thought, you are about to tell your ex-wife you are getting married again. That would make anyone nervous, right?

"Aaron?" She broke through his thoughts.

"I asked Emily to marry me and I am planning on adopting Liam and Declan." His voice was soft but determined.

Haley stiffened, a flash of hurt across her face. After a moment, she crossed the room and sat next to him, she pulled his hands into hers, "I'm glad."

He looked at her, "Are you?"

"You deserve happiness. Aaron, I wasn't fair to you. My expectations of a husband weren't realistic. You were committed to us. You gave us all you had when you were home and when you weren't home doting on me, I was resentful." She took a deep breath before continuing, "I want you to be happy. I think Emily loves you with all her heart. Those boys will be as lucky as Jack to have you as a father."

She blinked away tears, as they sat together hand in hand.

"Are you happy, Haley?"

"I'm working it. My therapist says I have to be happy on my own. Family, friends, and people I date can only add to my happiness. No one else can't fix me and magically make me happy." She tried to smile as she patted his hand.

"Oh Haley," Aaron wiped a tear from her cheek.

She stood up, and shook her hands out, "Enough of that. You are getting married and are going to be a father to three boys."

"Four, I have to count Spencer."

Their laughter caused Jack to giggle as he played.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Elizabeth shooed them out the door, "We'll be fine. I put Spencer in charge."

"But Dad will…"

"Your father will not mess with my Spencer or there will be hell to pay." The Ambassador informed her daughter as she pushed her into Aaron's arms.

Huffing at her mother, Emily allowed herself to be guided to the car. Aaron opened her car door and helped her in since her long dress made it difficult to climb into small sleek sedan.

She fiddled with the radio as he drove, jumping from station to station.

"Emily, a real date night."

"I still don't like leaving them at night. It was daytime when everything happened, but something about the dark," she admitted.

"I know but they are hanging out with your parents, Spencer, who is a fully trained FBI agent, and your mother's security team, who happen to be FBI agents as well."

Emily nodded and settled on a classic rock station, "Did you notice that Mother said ' _My Spencer'_?"

Chuckling, Aaron said, "I guess we have our answer, he's your new brother. Not our son."

They drove a little further out, before pulling up to a small stone cottage that had been turned into a restaurant..

Emily gushed at the picturesque scene, "It will be nice to have a grown up meal."

"Dave says this place is amazing."

The restaurant was quiet, only a few other couples were dining. Their appetizers arrived and Emily moaned at the first bite, making Aaron's ears turn red. That was a moan he knew well.

Tucking into their meal, they laughed, shared bites, and sipped at their wine.

"I took the liberty of pre-ordering dessert for us. I believe you enjoy chocolate?" He was giddy as their waiter arrived with a silver platter. In the middle of the trio of chocolate delicacies, sat a ring box, already open to reveal a sparkling diamond ring.

Emily gasped and her hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes shone with tears, "Oh Aaron."

"I know I already asked but I wanted to ask you formally," He stood up, and took the ring box, before kneeling in front of her, "Emily, you fill my world with love and happiness. Will you marry me? I promise to love you and our boys for the rest of my days."

"Yes, oh yes." She cried out and leaned forward to kiss him.

Between her leaning forward, and his crouched position, Aaron felt his legs give out. Sitting on the floor of the restaurant, with Emily in his lap peppering his face with kisses, Aaron felt happier than he could ever remember.

~~~~~CM~~~~~


	63. Chapter 63

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron debated with himself for several days before biting the bullet; he had to discuss the state of the Brownstone with Emily. He waited until all three boys were asleep, and handed her a glass of wine.

"Babe?" She asked.

This was Emily's latest attempt at a term of endearment for him, "Babe?" He asked.

"It's better than Honey. And you got angry when I called you Snickerdoodle."

He groaned, "I am a scary FBI agent who makes unsubs cry with a look; you cannot call me Snickerdoodle."

"I think 'Babe' fits better. Anyway, what's up? There is something on your mind." She curled up on the couch, pulling the blanket off the back and tucking it around them.

Sipping his wine, he wished it was whiskey, "We need to talk about furniture for the new house and what we want to do to the kids rooms. The house should be move in ready in about two weeks."

She sighed, "I know, I have been thinking about this. Going through Louise's things is too much but I want Declan's bedroom furniture. And all of the photographs."

Aaron kissed the top of her head, "What do you want to do with the Brownstone?"

"It's Mother's. I guess I will let her know that it's vacant and she can lease it out."

"If there isn't a case over the weekend, how about we ask Spencer or JJ to watch the boys while we go through the storage units? Derek and I can move over anything you want to keep."

Emily nodded, her hands smoothing the blanket, "Maybe we should sell Louise's car. Even though it's bigger than mine, and more suitable for the boys; I don't think I could drive it."

"I'll make some arrangements." He nuzzled her neck, and kissed her cheek. "Now, I do believe it's my turn to pick the tv show."

"Oh Snickerdoodle, you are so delusional." She tickled him until he gave up control of the remote.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The Ambassador decided to keep the Brownstone vacant for the time being, arranging for a service to stop by once a month for a light cleaning and yard work.

Louise's Volvo wagon had been sold, and they had gone through the storage units marking what would move to the new house. Emily cried softly as she decided that Louise's cookware would find a home in their new kitchen. Declan and Liam's bedroom furniture would move to the new house along with Emily's living and dining room sets.

Aaron was at a loss when Emily withdrew from him in the days after going to the storage unit. She moved around the small apartment quietly, engaging with the boys but not much else.

He knew she was still processing all the emotions from losing Louise. He wished she would open up to him rather than just her therapist. Rolling his eyes at his selfishness, he reminded himself that he should be thrilled that she was actually participating rather than bullshitting her doctor as she usually did with the FBI shrinks.

With yet another case sending them out of town, Aaron resignedly told his team, "Wheels up in thirty."

He trekked back to his office to call Emily, letting her know he wouldn't be home that night. Aaron didn't want her wallowing alone after she put the boys to bed. He headed for his tech analyst's lair.

"Penelope, do you think you could check in on Emily while we are away? She is really down right now. Going through Louise's things really hit her hard."

The former blonde, now red head, flapped her troll topped pencil at him, "Sir Bossman! I was already planning to come over tonight."

Relieved, he flashed his dimples at her, "I don't even know what I was thinking. Of course you've got this."

"Duh! She's still our Princess!"

A few hours later, he received a text from Penelope,

' _Sir Bossman was right, Princess was moping and listening to The Smiths when I arrived. Not to worry; Operation Cheer Up is working.'_

' _Thanks Penelope. I appreciate it.'_

' _NP, HOTch Stuff.'_

Rolling his eyes, he pocketed his phone and returned to the case file in front of him.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Did you and Penelope have a good girl's night in?" Aaron lounged on his hotel room bed, surrounded by crime scene photos.

"Yes, we watched Netflix and ate popcorn. It was relaxing."

Aaron frowned at the bloody images in front of him, pushing them aside. "Good, I know this has been a hard time for you."

"It's nice to spend some time vegging out. How is the case?"

"The case isn't going well and honestly," he sighed, "I hate being away from you and the boys."

"I miss you but we are staying pretty busy."

Sensing his need for a distraction from the case, she kept him apprised on what was happening on the homefront: moving little things into the new house, Declan's LaCrosse game, and swim lessons for Liam and Jack.

"Were you uncomfortable with Haley?" Aaron asked, still surprised how well his ex-wife and Emily got along.

"A little. She congratulated me on our engagement and said my ring was beautiful." A nervous laugh escaped, and Emily said, "Okay, it was very awkward."

Aaron nodded, forgetting he was on the phone so she could not see his reaction, "Sorry, I was nodding. I can imagine that was a difficult conversation."

A few days later she sent him a video of the older boys sliding across the long hallway with wooden floors at the new house. "They just love sliding across in their socks. Liam must have hit the wall four times."

"I guess I need to learn how to patch drywall."

"If you are home by the weekend, we can probably start moving the big stuff."

Luckily, the team was home that weekend. JJ took the boys while Will, Derek, and Spencer helped Aaron and Emily move into their new house.

Aaron was able to admit to himself that this move went much better than the time, when he moved into the apartment. He was a broken man then, having lost his marriage and home. Finally, he was in a good place in his life.

He put his arm around Emily's shoulder and smiled as they looked around their home. A new place with a new start.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

"Hey Declan, can we talk?" Aaron heard Emily asking after they cleaned up the dinner plates.

Giving them privacy, Aaron led Liam to the bathroom upstairs for his bath.

"I'm gonna be a pirate who fights a shark." Liam declared as he dumped the bath toys into the tub.

"Sharks have lots of teeth, you better be careful," Aaron told him as he added bubble bath under the warm water pouring from the spout.

Liam undressed himself quickly and tried to climb into the tub, "I have a wooden leg since a shark ate mine."

Aaron managed to grab the boy before he hit the water, "Potty first, Chomper." He remembered the last bath when Liam happily peed in the tub.

Liam used the toilet before climbing into the tub, Aaron sat on the closed toilet seat and watched as the boy dove under water, splashed, and babbled. He wondered how the conversation with Declan was going.

During the last therapy session, they all agreed it was time to discuss Aaron and Emily officially adopting Declan. He had wanted to wait, they had been in the middle of moving and setting up Declan's new room but both the therapist and Emily wanted Declan to know that this was his permanent home, his forever family.

Shampooing Liam's hair was followed by a quick swipes of the washcloth as the boy dodged him. Aaron tried to stay engaged in the little boy's nonsensical story about recovering the pirate's leg from the belly of the shark, while keeping an ear out for a discussion happening downstairs.

Finally giving up on eavesdropping, Aaron rinsed off Liam, wrapping him in a hooded towel. It was another gift from Penelope, she bought hooded towels for each of the boys as their "Welcome Home" gifts: a shark for Declan, a dinosaur for Liam, and a monkey for Jack.

They joined Emily and Declan in the family room, where they were unpacking the movies and arranging them alphabetically. She gave him a small smile, which Aaron interpreted as the conversation hadn't gone too bad.

The remainder of the evening was busy work and getting the boys ready for bed. It was Aaron's turn to read with Declan.

"You okay, Dec?" He asked after they finished a silly chapter of Sideways Stories from Wayside School.

Declan looked up shyly, "Emily says you want to be my adopted parents but I already have a mom and she's dead."

"Your mom will always be your mom, Dec. No matter what. Louise is your mother and nothing will change that. Emily and I want to adopt you to make you a permanent part of our family. Forever. We don't want to replace your mom. You don't have to call us Mom and Dad, even though we will always take care of you the way parents should. Does that make sense?"

A fierce nod and a tight hug from the little boy brought tears to Aaron's eyes. He shifted on the bed, and pulled away to look his face. He cupped Declan's chin and raised his head to lock eyes with him, "I love you, Declan. I always will."

Declan leaned in close, and Aaron held him, rubbing his back as the little boy cried.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Have you read Sideways Stories from Wayside School? It is the BEST!


	64. Chapter 64

~~~~~CM~~~~~

The blended family settled into the new house. Aaron had assumed the boys would enjoy having their own bedrooms after being cramped into a small room for months, but more often than not he found Liam bunking in Declan's bed or the older boys sleeping on Jack's bedroom floor.

Emily dove into being a stay at home mom, finding the perfect schools for the boys and coordinating schedules with Haley. She carpooled with the LaCrosse team moms and baked cookies for Liam's preschool. While Emily seemed to enjoy running a household, he could tell she missed being on the job. One night, he brought home a few case files for her, and received a loud smooch in return, "You know, most men bring home roses."

For Declan's 7th birthday, the shy boy had asked if they could build a playhouse.

Over several weekends leading to Declan's birthday, they began the process of planning a playhouse. Derek and Spencer came over several times to help him design a floorplan.

Spencer plotted out the perfect location in the backyard, ensuring the ground was flat. Aaron and Derek poured a foundation and encouraged the boys to stamp their handprints in the setting concrete. Emily and Spencer handled constructing, then painting the exterior walls while the children ran around the backyard in yellow safety hats.

Emily planned a construction theme birthday party and Spencer took over making long lists of chores based on age groups. Early on a Saturday morning, Derek pulled his truck up filled with additional materials. Emily corralled the younger boys, leaving Declan and Aaron to handle unloading.

Within a few hours, the backyard was filled with family, friends, and neighbors. Declan and his new friends, Tucker, Bobby, and Tein, nailed wainscoting to the playhouse's interior walls and built child size furniture. Tucker's father and William were helping Aaron put up the outer walls while Spencer assembled the windows. Derek handled the roof as the structure finally came together. Will, holding a squirming Henry, watched over Jack and Liam, who were painting a tiny fence, the cardboard beneath it as well as the grass around it. JJ and Penelope decorated cupcakes inside, chatting with Emily as she prepared lunch.

With breaks for snacks and lunch, the large playhouse was complete by mid-afternoon. The house had two doorways, one for the children and a full size door on the side for the adults. It was filled with a futon, several bean bag chairs, a child size kitchen, a toy chest, and bookcase. The loft was covered in a large rug and big pillows. Somehow the playhouse felt homey while eight foot ceiling gave it an open feel. On the outside, the blue house with white shutters matched the main house.

After strict instructions to not allow Jack, Liam, or Henry to use the ladder to the loft, Emily released the children to play.

The rest of the afternoon had children playing in the little house while the adults relaxed in lounge chairs with beers in their hands. At dusk, guests began heading out leaving the family alone in the backyard.

Growing a little nervous, Aaron looked to Emily for reassurance. He knew very little about how children handled losing a parent but he had checked in with Declan's therapist on his idea.

"Declan." He started thinking of ways to sugar coat what he was about to say then decided to get to the point, "I know you miss your Mom. And I had an idea that I wanted to ask you about."

Pausing, Aaron took a breath before continuing, "We wanted to plant a tree in honor of your mom. Next to the playhouse. We were thinking it would be a good place for you to visit, if you missed her or just wanted to talk to her."

"A tree?" The blond boy looked up at him, his eyes shining.

"It seems silly but ..." Aaron trailed off as Declan hugged him, his skinny arms squeezing with all their might.

The next day, Aaron and Declan turned home with a young sapling strapped to the top of the SUV. The family, even Jack, took turns digging a nice sized hole for the red maple to be planted in it. Declan helped Aaron secure it to tree stakes as Liam and Jack sprinkled the ground with wood chips.

Emily wiped her tears away, smearing dirt across her cheek, "You will always be in our hearts, Louise."

"Love you, Louise." Liam announced proudly.

Aaron held Jack on his hip, "Louise, you are missed." He patted Declan on the shoulder, "We will give you some time to talk to your mom, Dec. You can come out here anytime, okay?"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: I am posting a pic of the playhouse that inspired Declan's on my Tumblr: GoodGodHenry or you can google "Pennfield Cottage Wood Playhouse" to see images (just imagine the playhouse in blue).


	65. Chapter 65

~~~~~CM~~~~~

It had been two months since they moved into their new home, and Aaron had grown comfortable. Emily seemed to be truly happy. Both she and Declan continued seeing their therapists and were coming through mourning a little lighter.

The team had adjusted to Emily's absence, and despite missing her on the job, she was always there for him to discuss cases or to quietly hold him after a bad outcome.

Aaron freaked out once after he left for a child abduction case. He simply left her at the pool with all three boys. Calling home after 36 hours, he expected to be yelled at, to be lectured, and made to feel like he was an ass. Instead, she asked about how he was holding up; she understood how it felt dealing with parents of murdered children while trying to find the latest missing child.

She told him to call when he got a moment, no pressure. They could talk about the case or she could distract him with the antics of their children. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have Emily in his life.

Now, the only real problem in Aaron's life was trying to break Liam out of the habit of calling him Mr. Hotch. Declan called him Aaron but Liam simply refused. Shortly after Jack's second birthday, he transitioned from calling him Dada to Daddy. That was when a crisis erupted.

Aaron and the three boys were kicking the soccer ball around in the backyard while Emily was out running errands. The match turned into a rowdy tackle and tickle game, with Jack screeching, "Daddy, help!"

Liam and Declan turned on the Hotchners. Next Declan and Aaron turned on the younger boys, sending them running, roaring with laughter.

In the end, Aaron ended up flat on his back in the grass with Liam sitting on his chest. Declan cuddling up on his side as Jack zoomed around them, falling dramatically on top of all of them before running off again.

"Mr. Hotch," Liam bounced as he spoke causing Aaron to flinch as his internal organs were squashed, "Can I call you Daddy like Jack does?"

Grinning at Liam, Aaron was overcome with emotion, "Yes, Liam. I would love it…"

All of a sudden Declan sat up, shoving Liam off of Aaron. The blond boy stood, looming over both of them, clenching his fists, "No, Liam! Your dad is a bad guy who killed my mommy."

Liam burst into tears, not from the fall or shove but from the sheer anger and hatred in Declan's words. The little boy sobbed into his hands as Declan strode off.

Aaron sat up, pulling Liam into his lap, shushing him as he watched Declan march across the yard and into the playhouse, slamming the door behind him.

"It's okay, Liam," Aaron rocked him, and called Jack away from following Declan. Jack joined them, unsure of the situation, the toddler simply patted Liam's back, parroting his father, "It's okay."

"Is my daddy a bad guy?" Liam asked, his face pinched into a frown.

Closing his eyes, Aaron pulled Liam into a tight embrace, "Remember, when Mama and I talked to you about Ian."

"Yeah, but he is my daddy?"

Sighing heavily, Aaron guided Jack and Liam inside the family room. Jack ran off but soon returned with a dinosaur plush for Liam. The two year old wrapped his arms around Aaron's legs.

They sat together on the couch, and Aaron attempted to explain. "Liam, Ian was your father. He helped make you. But he wasn't a part of your life."

Liam nodded, his little face scrunched up as he tried to understand.

"I know this is very confusing. Ian loved you. But he was also a bad guy and he hurt Louise. That's why Declan is so upset. He is not mad at you, he is mad that his mom is dead."

"But he yelled at me!" Liam replied in a tiny voice.

"I know he did. He was feeling hurt so he tried to hurt your feelings. Declan was wrong to do that."

Jack patted Liam's arm, "I'm sorry."

"Declan loves you and when he is ready to come inside, he will apologize." Aaron hugged both the boys, "Ian was your father but I would like to be your Dad. You can call me Daddy like Jack does, or Aaron like Declan does. And if you want, you can still call Mr. Hotch. Whatever you call me, I will always love you."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Declan was still in the playhouse when Emily returned home. Liam was finally calm, watching a tv show with Jack. Aaron, with his hair standing on end, paced along the back wall, keeping an eye on the tiny blue house filled with an angry boy. He had refused to come out when Aaron knocked twenty minutes ago.

Emily disappeared into the playhouse while Aaron put Jack down for a nap, kissing his forehead. Aaron scooped up Liam, and held him over Jack. The almost four year old also kissed Jack's forehead.

Liam had outgrown his afternoon nap, much to the adults' chagrin but he was still open to quiet reading time.

They sat together on Liam's bed with the intention of reading, both turning at the sound of a sniff in the doorway. Declan stood, face stained with tear tracks, with Emily behind him, her hand on his shoulder. Apologizing for being mean and pushing, Declan climbed on the bed and hugged his little brother.

Emily smiled gently at them before turning to Declan, "Ian loved you but that does not excuse his bad choices. He made bad choices and he used violence instead of words. Loving someone doesn't give you permission to hurt people."

She brushed the curls back from Declan's face, "Ian is gone, but Aaron is here. And Aaron would love to be your Dad. For both you and Liam. It is your choice if you want to call him Aaron, or Dad."

Aaron scooted to make room for her, and she squished in, "Remember when we talked about adoption, Declan?" When the boy nodded, Aaron continued, "I will always be here for you. That doesn't mean Louise isn't your mom, or Ian isn't your father. You just have more people who love you and want to raise you. Emily and I love you like our son, like we love Liam and Jack."

"Jack has Mrs. Haley as his mom," Liam realized out loud, "And my Mama loves him."

Emily pulled Liam into her lap, "He does, and I love him like I love you and Declan. And Mr. Hotch loves you and Declan, just like he loves Jack."

Hugging Declan into his side, Aaron carded his hand through the blond curls.

The remainder of the day was somber, Aaron and Emily constantly cuddling their three boys, reminding them that they were loved.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: This was the hardest chapter to write and honestly I am still not happy with it… How in the world do you explain a biological father (who happens to be a homicidal maniac) to a three year old? What do you say to a seven year old who knows his father killed his mother? Oh man, oh man, oh man, this sucks.


	66. Chapter 66

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Aaron wanted to elope and based on the increasingly irritated phone calls from Emily, she did as well. He had a small guest list, with his brother, the BAU team, and their significant others. Aaron didn't understand why there were 250 people on the proposed guest list.

William, his future father in law, clapped him on the shoulder, "It's politics."

He was pouting, feeling like his youngest son, Jack. He had the big wedding with Haley and honestly, as much as he wanted to see Emily in a wedding dress, Dave's Vegas suggestion was sounding pretty good.

Handing Aaron a beer, William smiled knowingly, "Give it a few days, Lizzie will make some ridiculous demand for an ice sculpture and Emily will stop playing nice. You'll end up with a low key wedding like you both want."

Impressed that William's prediction had come true, Aaron vowed to get his father in law a nice bottle of Scotch. The Ambassador suggested a string quartet for the largest Catholic church with full mass, and invitations for the entire diplomatic corps in Washington D.C., and Emily declared that they were getting married at the courthouse, in jeans and a t-shirt.

Now, they had the small guest list they were looking for along with a small intimate ceremony and reception at the Prentiss Estate.

The next dilemma came after Emily decided to wear her mother's wedding dress.

The wedding dress is important, which is why Aaron tried to be understanding as Emily proceeded to freak out. She paced the house, the boys scattering her wake, as she ranted about wanting to look vintage not old fashioned.

Aaron could honestly say he had no idea what she was talking about. Quietly, he placed a call to Penelope who dropped everything to come over. Within two hours of her arrival, the crisis was averted.

The 60's "not my style" dress would be redesigned to fit Emily's taste and add a bit more of her heritage, using her great grandmother's' lace. Penelope sketched out a design, and they asked Ambassador's long time seamstress to remake the dress.

The next on the list of issue to tackle: last names, Aaron didn't know why he wanted Emily and the boys to take his name. Well, he could admit that he was being possessive, but he truly felt if the boys became Hotchners, it would go a long way towards forming a solid family bond. It would allow Declan and Liam (when he was older) to feel like they belong.

It didn't take much convincing for Aaron to have Spencer to babysit the boys so he could have a few hours alone with Emily. He suggested that they shop for wedding tuxedos. Emily was leaning towards darker colors, black, charcoal, or navy blue, all of which met Aaron's taste. He wasn't a fan of white tuxedos. Two shops later, Emily was down to navy or black, and his stomach was growling. Emily took pity on him, and chose a nearby restaurant.

Over lunch, he finally asked, "Emily, I was finishing up the adoption paperwork. I wasn't sure about last names, and I guess it depends on if you, I mean, will you be taking my name?"

"Since I have been fantasizing about being Mrs. Aaron Hotchner, yes. I meant to talk to you about this but there are so many wedding details on my mind. Between my mother and Penelope, anyway." She sipped her iced tea, "Yes, and I have talked to Declan's therapist about it too."

Unable to control his excitement, Aaron showed both dimples, grinning widely, "Oh."

Emily watched his face, her lips pursing and right eyebrow arching, "You didn't think I wanted to take your name." She reached across took his hand, "I do, Aaron. I want it all with you."

"Let's talk to the boys and see what they want." Aaron suggested but Emily shook her head at him.

"Liam and I are becoming Hotchners. Declan is the one we need to talk to about this."

After Liam's bedtime, they sat down with Declan to discuss last names. Debating remaining a Thatcher or changing his name to Hotchner, Declan said he wished he could do both.

Aaron thought about the phrase Penelope always said when someone did something dumb, facepalm. He needed to facepalm himself.

Shaking his head, he leaned in, "You can, Dec. You can be Declan Thatcher Hotchner. It's really up to you, son. We will respect whatever choice you make." Aaron hugged the boy and encouraged him to discuss it with his therapist.

In the end, it was Spencer that Declan confided in regarding his name. They spent quite a bit of time going over name meanings. Declan asked about Louise's family and discovered that Louise wasn't really a Thatcher, that had just been her fake identity after they had fled to the United States. The seven year old had no interest in taking the names of his biological parents. Declan mentioned that Aaron always referred to him as his son and he wanted to be a Hotchner.

The next night, he stood up at the dinner table and announced that from now on his name was Declan Louis Hotchner.

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Pulling strings with a friend, Aaron was able to schedule the adoption for the day before the wedding.

For the children, the adoption process was rather boring; Declan and Liam working hard to sit still as the paperwork was signed before a judge. Liam snuck a tiny dinosaur out of his pocket, making it walk along the arm of the chair. A moment later the stegosaurus hit the ground and the three year old hung upside down in the large wooden chair to retrieve it as the adults tried to hide their smiles.

After shaking hands and numerous congratulatory remarks, the new blended family ended up at the Prentiss Estate where their friends and family were gathered. Even his ex-wife, Haley and her sister, Jessica, were in attendance.

As dinner ended, Aaron stood up and raised his water glass in toast, "I would like to ask my son, Jack, and my brother, Sean, to join me in welcoming Declan and Liam to our family."

Sean picked up Jack, putting the toddler on his hip and crossed the room to stand beside Aaron. Liam and Declan walked to their new father, who crouched down until he was eye level with them.

He handed each boy a small box, and reached up to pass the third box to Jack.

"I am honored to be your father, and have you officially become Jack's brothers."

"And I am proud to be your uncle. Welcome to the Hotchner Family."

Sean helped Jack open his box as Aaron assisted Liam. Declan had opened his to find a simple gold chain with a medallion on it. He rubbed the raised edges of the crest with his fingers.

"Flip it over." Aaron told him.

Yelping in surprise, Declan announced, "It has my new name on it. Declan Louis Hotchner."

"What's mine say?" Liam quipped, bouncing on his heels.

Dropping a kiss on his curls, Aaron told him, "Liam Prentiss Hotchner."

Sean and Aaron helped the children put on their family crest necklaces as everyone watched. Declan looked confused as he watched Jack's necklace go on, "What does Jack's say?"

"It says Jack Brooks Hotchner," Aaron told him as Haley joined them.

Smiling at Declan, Haley allowed Jack to climb into her lap to show off his new necklace, "Jack's middle name is Brooks. That is my family name."

Jack scampered off his mother's lap and lifted his arms up for Aaron to carry him.

All the Hotchner men embraced each other, in a large group hug with Jack giggling hysterically.

Across the room, Emily had tears running down her face as her father gently patted her back.

As the evening ended, Ambassador Prentiss dismissed the guests with a declaration, "We have a wedding tomorrow to add one more person to the Hotchner clan."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: BTW I am not taking a stand on women taking their spouse's last name. In all honesty, it's a pain in the tush to change your last name (especially if you have a career established) but with the boys' situation I thought it was important for them to all have the same last name as well as a tangible reminder that they were wanted and they belonged.


	67. Chapter 67

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Emily kissed all three boys goodbye and asked them to behave for Aaron and their Uncle Sean. She closed her eyes as she kissed Aaron, "I love you."

Resting his forehead against hers, he spoke quietly, "I love you too, my soon to be Mrs. Hotchner."

Leaving her at her parents' home, Aaron shuffled the kids and his brother to the SUV. He hoped that William, JJ, and Jody, would be able to keep Penelope and the Ambassador calm. He didn't want Emily stressed out the night before their wedding day.

"Straight to bed, boys"

Declan herded the younger boys upstairs with Aaron at their heels. Pajamas and tooth brushing were followed by a quick story, numerous glasses of water, and going potty several times.

Sean handed his older brother a glass of whiskey, "I am exhausted from watching that."

Lounging on the couch, they both put their feet up on the coffee table. Aaron glanced at Sean, "I don't mind."

"So, why does Liam still call you Mr. Hotch? Declan calls you Aaron."

Shrugging, Aaron took another sip, "Liam wanted to call me Daddy but he is afraid of upsetting Declan. Anyway, I don't want to dwell on this. Things will work out in time."

The sounds of sniffling got Aaron's attention, turning he saw Declan standing in the doorway, crying. Jumping out of his seat, he crossed the room in three long strides, pulling the boy into his arms.

"I'm sorry." He sobbed into Aaron's chest, "It's my fault Liam won't call you Dad."

Sean disappeared into the kitchen and after a few minutes, he returned with a hot cocoa for Declan. He listened to the hushed conversation, impressed with his brother's calm demeanor.

"Declan, you don't ever have to be sorry. I love you, and Liam, no matter what you call me."

"But you are our dad now. And you love us like you love Jack."

Nodding, Aaron wiped tears from the little boy's face, "I do. Today, we made it official. But that doesn't mean you or Liam have to call me dad. You can keep calling me Aaron and Liam will figure out what he wants to call me."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

Three tiny tuxedos were hung in Aaron's garment bag, next to his own. The wedding ring was in a box in Sean's pocket and a pendant for Emily was in his own pocket. Surveying the recently fed and freshly showered boys, Aaron nodded to his brother, "Let's go."

They arrived at the Prentiss estate at the same time as the florist, the wedding cake, and the caterer. Seeing Sean's interest in the children wane, Aaron tried to keep them from running off to destroy the cake. Luckily, William and Spencer were there to help, taking off after the boys as Sean followed the caterer into the kitchen.

The house and the backyard were filled with workers carrying chairs and linens under the strict direction of Penelope and the Ambassador. Aaron watched as Jody snuck through the living room, skirted the dining room, and disappeared into the kitchen. "Chefs," he muttered under his breath. He assumed JJ was upstairs with Emily.

William returned to the living room with Jack dangling upside down by his feet, "I found one of yours helping the florists! The others are with Emily."

"I thought this was a small wedding." Aaron complained as he took his son from William.

Scoffing, his future father in law clapped him on the shoulder, "Surely, you remember the diplomatic dinners you ran security checks on. This _is_ small."

"Sir Bossman! You have to get dressed! Ceremony is in less than an hour." Penelope wagged her finger at him, before tickling Jack's belly, "My little junior G-man is gonna be adorable in a tux."

They were corralled into a guest suite on the first level where Spencer met them with the older boys in tow.

Aaron, William, and Spencer began dressing the boys in matching tuxedos. Crisp white shirts with tiny buttons were tucked into black dress pants. Aaron was thankful for the tiny suspenders as both Declan and Liam's pants kept sliding down off their hips. Jack's pants only stayed on because of the added bulk of his Pull Up diaper. Thanking the inventor of clip ons, Aaron secured the gray bow ties to their shirts and added tiny black jackets.

Spencer found himself wrestling Liam's shiny black dress shoes on while Declan stomped his feet, whining about the stiff uncomfortable shoes. A knock on the door, brought Jody and Sean to take the boys so Aaron could dress on his own.

His own tuxedo was similar to the boys', with a gray waistcoat instead of suspenders. He found himself staring at his reflection in mirror. Aaron couldn't believe that in such a short time, he had been broken, rebuilt, and found love again.

When Sean returned, they both patted their pockets to ensure they had the jewelry. Nodding at each other's goofy smiles, Sean stepped forward and bear hugged Aaron, lifting him up a few inches, "I love you, Bro!"

~~~~~CM~~~~~

In the backyard, the guests were seated in chairs, chatting quietly. Aaron walked up to the aisle, finding the boys sitting nicely in the front row with Ambassador and Spencer. Sean handed over the ring to Aaron and joined them.

Shaking hands with the judge, Aaron thanked him for performing the ceremony. Turning around he saw his family and friends seated, about to watch him marry Emily. A smiled tugged at his lips, Emily. She was his everything and now she was about to become his wife.

Music started up, and the french doors opened. Aaron felt his mouth go dry as Emily stepped out on her father's arm. She was a vision of beauty, no veil to hide her face. Her dark raven hair was tucked up into an elegant swoop, leaving her neck bare. Oh her neck, he thought as his eyes traveled south to take in her white dress. The wedding dress was simple, highlighting her slim arms and narrow waist, lifting her chest, oh my God, her chest. 'I'm a pervert,' he thought.

William was escorted her down the aisle and she beamed as she took in Aaron's stiff stance at the altar. As they approached the trellis of delicate white flowers, she turned and kissed her father, giving Aaron a view of the back of her dress. It use to have a plain back but now that had been removed and covered in her great grandmother's delicate lace. He felt his breath hitch as she turned to him and stepped up so they were facing each other.

"You are so beautiful." Aaron whispered to her, leaning to kiss her cheek.

Her hand came up and caressed his cheek, and she blinked away a tear, "I love you."

In a loud stage whisper, the judge leaned over, "We haven't started the vows yet," and the guests laughed.

Aaron stared into her dark eyes as he blindly repeated the judge's words, not really hearing the vows. He was committed to this woman for the remainder of his days. His heart was hers.

The judge's hand on his arm and Emily's told him that it was time for the rings. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he pulled the simple contoured band of diamonds. The ring fit along her engagement ring, slotting into place as if they were two bodies fitting into one.

Emily pulled a silver ring from her thumb, rubbing his hand as she slipping the band of polished and brushed titanium onto his fourth finger.

Joining hands, their fingers intertwined, they kissed. The judge laughed and announced,"You may now kiss the bride, _again_."

The boys must have been released from their chairs because all three ran up to the altar, wrapping their arms around their parents' legs. Emily scooped up Jack, holding him, as Aaron picked up Liam. Turning together, husband and wife placed their arms over Declan's shoulders as they faced their family.

"May I present to you, the Hotchner Family."

~~~~~CM~~~~~

A/N: Not sure if you noticed, I had Haley attend the boy's adoption celebration but I thought her attending her ex-husband's wedding was too much.


End file.
